


The Princess and the Cat

by Winaellik



Series: Lady Princess and the Model Cat [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Marichat May
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2020-02-16 02:32:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 28,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18682339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winaellik/pseuds/Winaellik
Summary: MariChat MayI'm a bit late, but I'll finish this, pinky swear...





	1. No Powers

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my native language, so, please, be kind.  
> Reading in english is really easy for me, but writing and translating my work isn't.  
> Tell me if something is wrong, I'll try to correct and be better with the rest of the story.  
> I really hope you'll enjoy my MariChat May
> 
> An English version of 'La Princesse et le Chat'.  
> I'll translate 'La Princesse, le Chat et le Top-Model' later.  
> Those little stories happened before 'La Princesse, Le Chat et le Top-Model'.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tikki is busy with Master Fu... Nice day for an Akuma to show up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during August 2016

Marinette was nervously looking at the clock for the 7th ou 8th time over the last 10 minutes.

It's been an hour since she let Mellifae run alone after the Akuma, and she started to worried.

Master Fu had asked for Tikki's help with a ritual in the Book. He needed her knowledge, her memories to work on this one and it's been two days since he took the Kwami away.

At first, she didn't think it would be a problem:

  * She can go pick up Tikki at Master Fu's massage parlor anytime an Akuma shows up

  * Chat Noir had been informed of the situation.

  * He had chosen a Miraculous holder for support.




He took the Bee Miraculous for a new wielder. Chloe had given up on her Miraculous, and she was not really trustfull with superhero duty anymore.

Everything should have been under control.

But Marinette had the worst luck, and she was now stuck in her room, powerless, holding a baby.

 

The Akuma appeared near the school. It was a young woman, grieving after a miscarriage. She had let her sadness turn to anger after she saw a group of nannies hanging out in the park with babies all around.

Chat Noir was the first there, quickly followed by the new Bee Wielder.

Her suit looked a lot like Queen Bee's but with a helmet and roller skates.

 **La Mama** had started to fire lightbeams everywhere, transforming people into babies she was putting in a big baby carriage.

The moment Marinette went out to find Tikki, Chat Noir get hit by one of **La Mama** 's beams.

Mellifae managed to grab Baby Chat Noir, quickly introduced herself to Marinette before shoving the kid in her arms, commanding her to get back home and take care of the hero.

 **La Mama** was already going away with her new babies, crying in their giant baby carriage.

Mellifae started skating after her, leaving Marinette alone with Baby Chat Noir.

 

Marinette sighed...

«Yayayayayayayayaya»

She looked at the baby in her arms and smiled. He was so adorable.

His cute kitten eyes were looking curiously at her.

She clicked his tiny bell and scratched gently his chin.

He started to purr...

When she first came back in her room, she had to bandage his hands, to make sure he won't hurt himself with his claws. He wasn't really happy at the beginning...

«Oooow my poor little Kitty, you must be tired of Auntie Mari, aren't you?»

She gently shifted Kitten Noir and pressed him on her chest, his little head on her shoulder. She started to hum.

Kitten Noir sigh with ease and started chewing and sucking his babysitter's t-shirt.

2 minutes later, he was sleeping, Marinette's t-shirt in his mouth.

 

* * *

 

Tikki was working with Master Fu when Wayzz told them what was happening with **La Mama** in the park.

Tikki was ready to leave and go find her Chosen when the Ladyblog shows the new Bee Wielder put a Baby Chat Noir in Marinette's arms.

«I think you should just go help the new hero, Tikki...»

She nodded and started to track **La Mama** across Paris.

 

Tikki found Mellifae near the Eiffel Tower. The new hero was doing well, dodging **La Mama** 's beams, and she could be as annoying as Chat Noir without using a pun!

 

* * *

 

Mellifae used Venom to freeze **La Mama** and found the Akumatised item. A pregnancy bola necklace, a symbol of all the despair in the victim's heart.

HawkMoth really was an asshole...

Suddenly a big mutant beetle bug came in front of her.

«Hi, I'm Tikki, Ladybug's Kwami. She can't come right now, but I think we can handle it by ourselves.»

«Hi Tik', I'm Mellifae. Let's finish this then.»

The new hero broke the bola and the Akuma tried to escape.

Tikki caught it in a light bubble in her little paws.

«Time to de-evilize!»

The light blow up a little more in her paws and then, she throw it in the air shouting:

«Miraculous Ladybug»

The released white butterfly went away while the cure run through Paris, armies of ladybugs turning babies back to their right age.

Tikki turns towards Mellifae.

«Introduce yourself to the media, then get back home, give Pollen some honey and have some rest. Chat Noir will come and see you later. Be carefull, you only have 4 minutes left. I have to go...»

«Thanks Tik', see you!»

Mellifae waved at the Kwami and headed towards Alya.

 

* * *

 

Marinette was lying on her chaise lounge, Kitten Noir on her chest. He was sucking her t-shirt in his sleep and it was soooo cute!!

She was wondering if it was appropriate to took a picture of a vulnerable Chat Noir without his permission when the ladybug cure passes on and Chat Noir turned back to himself.

Marninette froze.

Chat Noir sat up, one arm on each side of Marinette, spitting out the t-shirt in his mouth. Realisation hit him.

«M-M-M-M-Marinette, ooooh god, I'm soooo sorry!!»

He jumped on the bed, reaching the skylight.

«I need to go. I must check on Mellifae, but I'll be back Princess, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry...»

And he was gone.

Marinette sat up on her chaise lounge.

«I should have take a picture...»

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading  
> The European Honey Bee scientific name is Apis Mellifera.  
> The new wielder doesn't consider herself a queen, she is more of a working bee.  
> So she named herself Mellifae.  
> Maybe you'll find out who she is before I told you...


	2. Greek AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during September 2016

_Martikos was pissed. As a Chosen, he was taken away from his family before he was weaned._

_He learned how to fight before he knew how to walk, he learned military strategy before he knew how to read, and at 10 years old, he was handed a magic ring with great powers._

_But, Master Huan, the little man from the East, had insisted that he can not transformed before the other Chosen, the girl that was supposed to 'balanced' his powers, was found._

_Despite the combined efforts of all the Priests and Priestess in Greece, lead by Master Huan, 6 years after the Ceremony of the Ring, she was still to be found._

_And Martikos was only allowed to play and talk with his Kwami, Plagg, within the sanctuary of the Temple of Arès... And practice martial arts, of course..._

_Until now..._

 

_«Your wish has been granted, **Aílouros** ,...»_

_Martikos froze and the fencing instructor could have knocked him of without his enhanced senses._

_«Did... Did you find her?»_

_Master Huan waved away the instructor and came to Martikos._

_«You can't see her right now, you will meet her soon, she needs to reunite with her Kwami and learn from her. But you, you are now allowed to tranform, and discover the power of Destruction... You are allowed to go out...»_

_He has been waiting for this day all his life... He wasn't allowed out of the Temple without the transformation. He was now allowed to go out!!_

_Plagg seemed very happy about it as well._

_«At last! Come on, Kid, you know the words, remember all the practice?»_

_Martikos nodded vigorously, he's been ready for years!_

_«Let's get out of here then!»_

_«Plagg, Claws out!»_

 

* * *

 

_Master Huan has insisted that ' **Aílouros** ' shows up a bit in Athens. Martikos wasn't sure about the name, but he will do as the old man and his Kwami want._

_He was running across the rooftops, free for the first time in his life, and was getting closer to the Temple of Hestia._

_He caught sight of a couple of guards inside the Temple. That was something weird, only women and Priests were allowed in... He snuck closer, on the roof..._

_A Novice came out of one of the little bedrooms and started to talk with the guards._

_«How is the redhead doing?»_

_«Be more respectful! Remember who you are talking about Iolaus!»_

_«I'm sorry, I'll show more respect to her...»_

_The Novice nodded._

_«She was having a nightmare, nothing to worry about. Call me if she needs anything. **BUT** you are not allowed in her room, remember who she is and where you are, Silas would have you dead if you offended her!»_

_«We will do as you commanded»_

_The Novice went away and the guards get back on each side of the door._

 

_**Aílouros** was curious... And it was enough for him to get closer... That and the fact that he hates Silas, High Priest of Apollon, protector of the Temple of Hestia. He took one of the ridge stones and throw it on another part of the roof._

_The guards run toward all the fuss, leaving the door unguarded._

_**Aílouros** went down and enter in the room quickly._

 

* * *

 

 

_She was laying on the bed. She was crying and the sound of it broke his heart._

_«Hey, Princess, what's going on?»_

_She jumped and got up quickly, adopting a battle pose._

_He rise his hands in surrender, he didn't mean to scare her..._

_«Who are you? What are doing here?»_

_She was so beautiful in this little tunic, proud despite the tears on her cheeks, wary, and ready to pounce on him..._

_«I'm **Aílouros** , from the Temple of Arès. I heard the call from a damsel in distress and I came in to rescue you Princess...» _

_He shoot her a grin._

_She seemed to be a bit stunned..._

_«I'm not a damsel in distress, I'm Mara, I've been taken from my family 3 days ago and I don't care about your myths and gods!»_

_He shoot her a grin and get closer to her..._

 

* * *

 

_« **Aílouros**... **Aílouros**...»_

_Master Huan was just above him. He was still transformed, but on the floor and his jaw ached a lot..._

_How on earth was the little celtic girl able to knock him out like that?_

_He looked around and noticed that he was still in Mara's room._

_He heard Master Huan started to laugh._

_«I must say I didn't see it coming. You had to find her before she was introduced to her Kwami. You really are surprising **Aílouros**...»_

_Martikos blinked, and started to laugh with the Guardian. This girl was going to be the end of him, but god, they'll make a great team!_

 

* * *

 

 

Adrien suddenly woke up. This dream was... weird... It was weird that he was convinced that he was Martikos.

And it was weird that 'Mara the Redhead' was just Marinette's perfect duplicate.

«I must stop watching dumb peplum movies with Mari...»

Adrien sighed and got back to bed. He wanted to sleep more despite the ache in his jaw...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Martikos: dedicated to Mars (Arès).  
> Aílouros: Cat


	3. Kittens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 3: Kittens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during October 2016

Chat Noir liked Halloween a lot... Adrien wasn't allowed to go out that night (to dangerous according to Father), but Chat Noir enjoyed the streets of Paris, full of kids in disguise looking for treats.

This year, there was a lot of little Chat Noir. It must have something to do with the great rescue he made at the beginning of the month.

Clara Nightingale had been taken hostage by a mad fan and Chat Noir saved the day all by himself.

Ladybug was so proud of him. She gave him a peck on the cheek that left him blushing on a roof for at least 10 minutes after she left...

 

He was taking pictures with one of the little hero when an idea hit him...

After a few minutes of parley, a lot of recommandations, meeting places and curfew time, Chat Noir was heading out to Tom & Sabine Bakery with his little group.

 

* * *

 

Marinette was holding a candy stand in front of her parents' bakery.

The last years, there has been requests for more candies by childless costumers who had forgotten Halloween, and still wanted to spoil the little ones in their neighborhood. This disrupted the smooth running of the bakery, so Marinette's parents had opted for a small stand that their daughter was keeping, with candies for sale and some treats for the children of their own neighborhood.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir gathered his little group around him. They were near the bakery. Marinette was wearing a beautiful Princess dress she must have made herself. She was also wearing the cheap necklace and tiara he bought her for her birthday, as a joke gift. He was a bit flattered, to say the least.

Chat Noir turns toward his Meow-nis Mes with a plotting grin on his face...

 

* * *

 

«Good bye Mr Ramier, Happy Halloween.»

The former Mr Pigeon took his bag of sweets and waved her good bye, heading home.

« **Trick or Treats Puuur-incess!!** »

Marinette turned around and smiled at the 5 Kitten Noir holding out their bags to her, their eyes turned into wicked cute kitty ones, like Manon used to do against her...

«Aooooowww you're all soooo cute Kittens. Your suits are like the real thing, I'm sure Chat Noir would be jealous of your good look and cuteness...»

Marinette took 5 little bags of treats in a box behind her to give to them. That's the moment she noticed the 6th Kitty, crouching behind the kids.

He stood up, giving her a smug grin as he said:

«Me? Jealous? How could it be Princess? I teached my Meow-nis Mes everything!!»

Chat Noir snapped his fingers and the 5 Kitten Noir winked in perfect sync with their model hero.

Marinette burst out laughing.

«How long did you have to train them? Poor little ones...»

«They're natural Princess, they really are wearing the suit purrr-fectly...»

The 5 Kittens hold their heads proudly, happy that their hero was praising them.

«I **need** a picture!!»

Sabine Cheng had get out of the bakery and was holding a camera.

Chat Noir took place next to his Princess and put the kids around them, like a kind of personnal guard.

«Say Cheeeeeeeese»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir had taken the kids back to their parents, their bags full of sweets. Now, he was leading his Princess back home.

After taking a hundred pictures, Sabine Cheng took the place of Marinette at the candy stand and insisted that her daughter helps Chat Noir to go around the neighborhood with his Kittens.

They have run into Alya with the twins Etta and Ella.

The young journalist teased the Cat and the Princess restlessly, and he knew poor Marinette will never heard the end of it.

They were back at the bakery. The candy stand has been wrapped up and the bakery was now closed.

«Do you want to come in? Hot chocolate and pastries?»

«It would be my pleasure Princess...»

Climbing the building to Marinette's balcony, Chat Noir was happy. Never had Adrien had such a wonderfull Halloween...

 


	4. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May day 4: Today was Adrien's birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during January 2017

Marinette was pissed... She was fussing around in her bedroom, eyes filed with tears of anger, and Tikki was trying hard to get her to calm down. She heard her visitor landed on the balcony, and the kwami quickly hide in her dollhouse.

Chat Noir knocked at the skylight.

«Come in Chat»

The gracefull cat hero entered her room, looking a bit sad.

«Oh, it seems I'm not the only one who had a rough day...»

He gave her a small smile and sat on her chaise lounge, kitty ears down.

«Yeah, something like that... What happened to you Princess?»

Marinette sighed and thought about it. Chat Noir will never let go, even if it means he didn't get the time to share his own problems. And she knew he was lonely and needed her to be there for him. She decided to talk it thought and then, she will focus on her Kitty.

«Today was Adrien Agreste's birthday. He is in my class...»

Chat Noir nodded for her to go on.

«I made his favorite cake, and I draw NAD 03, his favorite Ultimate Mecha Strike robot with the icing, and I made this nice leather phone case for him, with a chaine and a snap hook, because, you know, I heard him told Nino that his phone kept slipping out of his pocket and he broke three of them already...»

Chat Noir looked puzzled and intrigued at her rambling...

«Chloé forget his birthday again, and when she saw the gift box, well, she kinda get mad... And I can't prove it, but I know she is the one who broke in my locker and ripped the box and what was inside...»

Marinette went to open one of her desk drawer and came back to show him a ripped leather case, a broken chaine and a distorted snap hook.

«I spent a lot of time on it, because you know, leather work isn't what I do best. And I wanted it to be perfect...»

Chat Noir runned his thumb on her cheek, wiping a tear. She didn't notice she has somehow started crying...

«And, oh, surprise, Chloé went to a big fancy store during lunch break, and bough this amazing designer leather phone case, with a gold chain and all... And then she made sure I was there when he opened her gift...»

New tears flowed on her cheeks...

«There was still the cake Mari, I'm sure he would have liked it, why didn't you gave it to him?»

She sniffed and made a nervous laugh.

«Oh I tried... I put it on his desk in the classroom, and then I went to take plates and spoons from the school cafeteria. When I came back, the cake was spread on the floor and Kim started scolding me because Lila soiled her dress 'accidentally' bumping in the stupid cake that I stupidly let in the way...»

Marinette made the quote marks with her fingers. She knew it wasn't an accident at all. The way Lila looked at her while Kim was harshly scolding her was unmistakable. She was so proud of her little stunt, and it was exactly the way she used to put her threats into effects towards Marinette...

«Then I had to clean all the mess on the floor, and I just missed the birthday party in the school ground doing this. Now Adrien must think that I just forget his birthday and that I didn't even care enough to come celebrating it with him... He must think his friendship isn't worth it for me...»

The young woman hide her face in her hands and cried. This was out. She needed to get a hold on herself and took care of her Kitty now...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir was stunned by all he just heard. It was true that he had been a little disappointed that Marinette forget his birthday. She was known for the care she always put in celebrating her classmates birthdays and her handmade gifts for them where highly praised.

Chloé and Lila really did a great job to make her feel miserable and hurt her and it annoyed him a lot.

He laced his arms around his sweet classmate and hugged her to confort her. She hugged him back, sniffing.

«You should talk to Adrien. Tell him what happened, show him the ripped phone case. I'm sure he'll understand. None of this was your fault, and he would be happy to know that you remembered his birthday. That's all that matters, that you cared for him. And for now, he doesn't know that.»

Marinette wiped her tears and sniffed again.

«Well, it's to late now. You should have seen the look he gave me at the end of school today... He was so disappointed, and I don't think I can do anything to make it up to him now. What's the point anyway? Adrien is the nicest guy on earth, and I'm sure it's just unbelievable for him that someone ruined his birthday cake and gift just to bully me. Plus, I just can't prove anything against Chloé and Lila, and well, Lila started rumors that I brought a messed up work of mine to excuse myself from making Adrien a gift and Alya, well, just after the party, she did just like Kim: she scolded me about the cake. I'm unreliable to all of them already, so what's the point?»

Marinette sighed, looked one last time at the ripped leather work in her hands, and put it back in her drawer. Then she sat next to her Kitty again.

«Enough with me, what happened to you my dear Kitty? You look so sad, and I hate it when you're sad...»

Chat Noir sighed.

Adrien came back home a little sorrow, convinced that Marinette has forgotten him. And discovering that his father has forgotten his birthday too, again... It was too much for him.

Now that he knew that Mari had been trying hard to please him, unsuccessfully, it cheered him up... Well, a bit, because he didn't like what she's been througt... At all.

«You may don't know it but I know Adrien, and I have a lot in common with him... We are sharing our birthday, among other things. The 'funny' thing is, hu, this evening, I planned to have a party with my friends, but one of my father's acquaintance said I shouldn't. She said he will want to spend diner and the evening with me. But when I came back from school, well, he just didn't remember it was my birthday and went to a business diner. I just took my meal all alone in an empty house, and tonight, it kinda takes its toll on me, you know?»

Marinette suddenly stand up.

«Just, wait here!»

In a hurry, she disappeared through her trapdoor. Chat Noir blinked, and just waited for her to return.

Less than five minutes later, she was back with a tray. He could see on it 2 mugs of hot chocolate, a plate of pastries and a cupcake with a candle.

She put the tray on her desk and bring the cupcake to him, singing.

«Happy birthday to meow, Happy birthday to meow, Happy birthday to meow Kitty, Happy birthday to meow...»

She waited for him to blow the candle, and he did, smiling.

She put the cupcake in his hands and gave him two gentle kisses on the cheeks.

«If I have known, I would have made you a cake, but all I have now is just leftovers from the bakery. I'm sorry, I wanted to do more for you...»

Chat Noir could feel his eyes watering...

«You've done more than you know Princess, a lot more...»

 

The following week, when he came back to her, he was gifted a beautiful handmade leather wristband embroidered with green little paw prints and his Princess' signature. She said she wanted to make it up to him, because she didn't ask for his birthdate in the first place.

He can't keep it on his wrist, because, she'll be able to know who he was. So the little gift was preciously stored in his nightstand drawer... Well... Most of the time...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a little behind on MariChat May, but I'm working on it.  
> Hope you'll enjoy...


	5. Cooking / Baking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MaryChat May Day 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during January 2017

Marinette was waiting in her room. Chat Noir had told her he needed her help with something, and that they will have to use her kitchen...

He didn't want to come downstairs when her father was in the area, this had something to do with the WereDad event. So they decided to wait until Marinette's parents were gone on one of their dates.

This was why tonight, she was waiting for Chat Noir, in order to do something in the kitchen with him...

She was wondering what he wanted from her when there was a knock at her skylight.

«Come in Chat Noir.»

He landed graciously on the floor of her bedroom and greeted her.

«Good evening sweet Princess, I'm glad you answered to my request.»

«Good evening Chat Noir. So, you wanted to cook or something?»

He swayed uncomfortably on his feet.

«Hu, I have something that I need to explain before...»

He took a deep breath, and sat on her chair.

«First, you need to know that I'm allowed to tell you, well, everything I'm about to tell you. I'm not breaking any vow of secrecy or anything like that.»

Marinette widen her eyes... Master Fu didn't allow him to reveal himself to her, did he?

«But, you must promise me that you'll not tell anything to Alya...»

«Okaaayyyy»

Marinette was worried, she didn't like the way this was going...

«Well, hu, there is a man, we call him The Guardian, who is keeping the Miraculous when they are not with a Chosen. For example, he is keeping the Fox, the Turtle and the Bee. When Ladybug and I need help, he trusts us with them and we call for the Wielders: Rena Rouge, Carapace or Mellifae and when the battle is over, we handed them back to him.»

He paused, and Marinette nodded for him to continue.

«Some time ago, Ladybug was... well, let's just say she was unavailable. I can't say more. The Guardian told me to choose a Miraculous and a Wielder to help me during this time. I choose the Bee Miraculous, and, hu, I told the Guardian that I was going to give it to you...»

 

* * *

 

 

Chat Noir looked Marinette freaking out and gave her time to breath and calm down.

«This shouldn't be a surprise Mari, come on, you're trustfull, you're amazing you are an everyday hero, and I'm sure you'll make a wondeful super-hero.»

The young woman was trying to calm her breathing.

«Well, I know that I'm not Mellifae, so, I think your Guardian guy disagrees with you...»

Chat Noir chuckled.

«Hu, he said that I was right about you, and that he was keeping a eye on you himself. He has some plans for you and asked me to not interfere with your own 'magic' by giving you a Miraculous.»

The catlike hero locked eyes with his friend, and waited for her to read in his eyes how serious he was about what he said.

He's been unable to give her a Miraculous, despite how he trusts her, but when he came to Master Fu with his little problem, the Guardian had allowed him to talk about hero stuff with his Princess and he was very happy about it. He just wished he could say more...

«That doesn't explain what you need my kitchen for...»

«Hu, yeah, well, again, you can't say anything to anyone...»

Marinette nodded

«Your secrets are safe with me, I'll keep them like mine...»

Chat Noir genuinly smiled at her. He knew that.

«So, hu, what do you know about Miraculous?»

«They are magical jewels...»

«Yeah, but they are much more. Our jewels are linked with deities, little creatures that we call kwamis. Mine, Plagg, is the avatar of Destruction, he looks like a cat, and he has a very peculiar diet...»

Marinette nodded him to go on.

«He loves cheese... He eats almost only that. The think is, if I want him to grant me with some special abilities like breathing under water or ice skates combined with the suit, I need to give him special magic potions.

«You need to mix the potions with cheese?»

«Yeah, that's what I usualy do, but, cheese get easily spoiled, and we don't use those powers that often. Plus, the smell of all this cheese is annoying some of my friends.»

Chloé had been complaining about the smell lately, and she had no problem doing it in front of his father...

«Oh... And how could I help you?»

«Well, your Dad made salted cookies last year for April's fool, so, I was just thinking that maybe we could bake some with cheese. Cookies can be easily kept, and it would save the rare ingredients the Guardian is using in the potions...»

«If I'm getting it right, you want me to help you bake magical cheese cookies for your kwami, Plagg,...»

Chat Noir nodded vigorously.

«Well, if you had brought your 'potions', then yeah, I think we can do that...»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir had brought his potions. He also had brought Comté. He spent the rest of the evening trying to help Marinette in the kitchen. Well, he only managed to mess up with her preparation, so he ended up talking with her while she was baking.

The young woman would have to talk with Master Fu about all this, but for now, she was just happy that Chat Noir, her partner, her friend, trusts her, Marinette-her, enough to want to give her a Miraculous.

At the end of their nice evening, Chat Noir went back home with a box of magical cheese cookies and the knowledge that whenever he needed more, he'll just have to ask.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a little behind on MariChat May, but I'm working on it.  
> Hope you'll enjoy...


	6. Cheese and Ham Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a chapter, just a bonus, a little recipe for some snacks.  
> This is easy to cook with kids, mines love it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the first time I translate a recipe ^^

_**20 little cookies** (count 2 – 3 per guest)_

  * 140gr of flour

  * 60gr of melted butter

  * 50gr of grated Comté (or another cheese, like Gruyère or Emmental)

  * 75gr of Ham cut in little cubes (or cheese: Comté, Gruyère or Emmental)

  * A tea spoon of baking powder

  * a pinch of salt and pepper

  * Aromatic herbs if you want (but please, not with Comté, you'll ruin the savor)




 

* * *

 

Pre-heated the oven, at 180°C (th6, or 356°F), and prepare an oven plate with baking paper on it (you'll have butter on your hands, so prepare this before).

In a bowl, mix the flour, the grated cheese, the baking powder, salt, pepper, ham cubes (or cheese cubs), and the herbs (if you want).

Add the beatten egg and the melted butter.

Knead the preparation until you have a homogeneous dough (well, as homogeneous as something with cubes can be ^^)

Make little balls of dough (walnuts big) that you'll flatten with the hand on the oven plate.

Bake for 15minutes (keep an eye on them)

When the cookies are ready take them out and serve them luckwarm or cold.

 

(Yeah, I know, I miswrite lukewarm, but I thought it made a funny pun ^^)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own this recipe, I took it from a blog, but I can't remember witch one, there's to many of them, and I don't write those things in my recipe book...


	7. Adoption / Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 6: Marinette had a disturbing talk with her parents...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during February 2017

Marinette was trying to get a hold on her feelings, arranging her thoughts while sewing, when Chat Noir knock at the skylight.

«Come in Chaton»

Chat Noir missed his landing on the bedroom floor.

«Chaton? What's wrong Princess? Do you need a hug?»

Marinette sighed and opened her arms, waiting for him.

Ever since Chat's birthday, there was a shift in their relationship, they were more cuddly and they hugged whenever one of them noticed the other needs it.

He stroke her hair gently with his right hand, the left one on the small of her back, keeping her against him.

«Take all the time you need Princess, we'll talk later...»

 

* * *

 

Marinette had set 2 mugs of hot chocolate and a plate full of cookies on her desk. She was on her chaise lounge, Chat sitting next to her, waiting for her to share what was on her mind.

«Tonight my parents shared stuff about my origins but not in a way I was really willing to...»

«Ah?»

«At first, they said that as I was now legally allowed to have a sexual life, they wanted us to have an upgrade of The Talk...»

«Oh...»

Chat Noir blushed and nodded for her to go on.

«I must say, it was really weird, earing them talk about safe sex and birth control, finishing each others sentences...»

Marinette shivered and Chat Noir had a hard time not laughing. It must really have been embarrassing for his Princess but the picture in his mind was just hilarious...

«And then, they decided to talk about my, hu, family legacy... And, hu... I must say, I'm a little confused, I don't know how to deal with it...»

«Talk to me then... I mean if you want... Sometimes, put words on your thoughts can help you put words on your feelings. And you know I'm here for you Princess...»

She blushed, sighed and then nodded slightly.

«There is really big fertility problems in my mother's family... Seventeen years ago, at Christmas, my parents told their family that they were giving up, that they will never have their own baby and that they were going to start the paperwork and interview to adopt a child...»

Chat Noir put his arms around her shoulder and hold her closer.

«Princess, you... you were adopted?»

She shook her head.

He kissed her temple and gestured for her to continue. His arm remaining on her shoulders.

«My Nona, Gina... She... Let's just say she insisted they try one last IVF. Just one. And then she was going to help them with the adoption, but she wanted them to try one last time. They agreed. It's very difficult to say no to Nona...»

Chat Noir remembered the Béfana and smiled.

«Yeah, I can believe that..»

«She set the appointment herself, at the end of the following january, they had frozen embryos from former attempts and... unlike the other times...»

She sighed again, it seemed that saying aloud what she discovered tonight was making it real.

«There was a little miracle...»

«You...»

«Me...»

She made a small smile.

«My parents told me their story because they want me to be aware of the difficulties I might face when I want to have my own family. I have time to think about it, I mean, I'm only 16, I don't even have a boyfriend, but they wanted me to know it so I can prepare myself. If, if I'm unable to get pregnant, maybe I'm going to need IVF too, and if it fails,... They wanted me to be ready then, but...»

She shook her head.

«But, this, this is something complicated to bring in a relationship... It's going to be...»

Chat Noir held her tight and rested his head on hers.

«Princess, the guy who's going to be worthy of you, who will love and worship you the way you desserve to be, this guy, is going to face this willingly with you, by your side. And when you'll have kids, you'll be an incredible mother, because you love giving love. Your new family will be so happy and kind and generous just like the one you have right now with your parents... Plus, maybe you took from your father's side on the matter... Don't worry, ok, and remember that all the love you have to give is more precious than anything and is all that matters.»

He realized that his Princess was quietly crying in his arms.

«Y-you really th-think what y-you said?»

«I do, Princess.»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir and his Princess decided to watch a funny dumb anim that night. Marinette spent all the movie snuggled against him, and Chat was glad to indulged her and warm her heart.

On his way back home, he thought about all his friend had confided in him, her fears and hopes, and he realised he wanted to be by her side when she'll have to face this. Then, he started to think about the Guy, the one who'll woo his Princess and build a life with her. Jealousy filled his heart and he stumbled on a rooftop, stoping abruptly to balance himself.

_I have to tone down the territorial cat in me. Princess isn't mine, I have to think about her happiness._

He shook his head and jumped his way back home...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.  
> This Chapter is a short one, but 'Roomates' is a much longer one that I'm still translating. I'm still behind, and I'm still working on it ^^


	8. Roomates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 7: Master Fu made a mistake...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during February 2017

Marinette was working on a skater dress for Alya when the wave hit her... The negative energy made her falter a bit and she looked instinctively for Tikki. Her kwami had fainted in her plate on the desk, in the middle of cookies. Marinette scooped her gently and headed downstairs.

Her parents were watching TV.

«Maman, Papa, did you feel that?»

Tom and Sabine looked at each other then at their daugther.

«Feel what Mari-Joli?»

«A wave of very negative energy. It has knocked Tikki out. She fainted.»

Sabine run to the bathroom while Tom took a pillow from the couch, put it on the table, and gesture for her to place Tikki confortably on it.

By the time Marinette did it, Sabine was back with a first aid kit and some salts that she waved under Tikki's little nose. The kwami hardly opened her eyes and whispered weakly.

«Ma-rinette, Ma-master Fu... Hu-rry...»

She fainted again and Tom started to panic.

«An Akuma? With Tikki out, how are you going to purify it? What if it knocked Chat Noir's kwami out too? You can't fight Akumas without your kwamis!! What are we going to do??»

As always when it was needed, Marinette channelled her inner Ladybug.

«Stop rambling Papa, we don't know yet what's happening, so no need to panic. I'm going to take a stack of cookies and walk to Master Fu's massage parlor. Then, we'll see...»

«Oh no dear, you're not going to walk anywhere in the middle of the night, I'm driving you there with the delivery van. Tom, tomorrow's Monday, weekly closing day, you can stay up for us but I advise that you go to rest.»

Well, at least Marinette knew where she inherited the superhero cool head... and her clumsy panicking everyday self...

Before Tom could suggest that he'd be useful at Master Fu's, his wife and daughter were gone with the kwami.

 

* * *

 

Master Fu looked around him, eyes wide with horror. He choose the old warehouse outside of Paris because it was secluded and there was no risk to harm anyone by accident... Like the one that occured tonight...

He had failed... again...

He still needed time to translate all the spells and rituals in the Book, to help Ladybug and Chat Noir in the fight...

Wayzz released the shield he summoned around them just in time before the blast.

«Master, Chat Noir!!»

Fu was picking up his tablet and the rare things that could lead to him.

«Yeah, I know, him, and the others, Wayzz, Ladybug, HawkMoth, Mayura, every kwami in a 200km radius has been affected by the wave... I'll have to nurse all the kwamis under my watch and hope that Nooroo and Dusuu are going to be able to heal without my help... This is a disaster...»

«No, Master, I could feel Chat Noir's presence nearing us just before the explosion, and I can feel Plagg now! Chat Noir... he's... he's hurt!!»

«Wayzz, hurry, lead the way!!»

The kwami took the Guardian to a badly burned young man. Plagg was lying next to him.

Master Fu took out his phone and dialed quickly.

«Ladybug, I need you, now, I'll send you the address, you have to find a car or something, as you won't be able to transform. Please hurry, I need you here before the firemen...»

With a lot of care, Master Fu scooped Plagg and tranformed to take away the bruised body of Adrien Agreste in a darker area before a crowd started to gather...

Then, he waited for Marinette...

 

* * *

 

Marinette was worried. The firetruck was just ahead of them and there was nothing they can do to arrive first. She was texting Master Fu their whereabouts, and he gave them a new itinerary.

The van stopped in front of a transformed Guardian, in a dark alley. He was waiting for them near a... body?

Marinette quickly went out of the van.

«Master, what happened? Who is it?»

«It is all my fault Marinette, I was trying something and, there was an explosion... I was careless, I'm sorry... I don't know why, but Chat Noir was there and...»

Marinette wasn't listening anymore, she was trying to go to the man in the alley when Master Fu stopped her.

«He isn't transformed, you can't see him. He's hurt but alive, we need to keep him safe and hide him. I need something to cover his face and then we can go. I know a hidding place where we'll be able to take good care of him, but for now, you can't see him.»

Without any second thoughts and despite the cold weather, Marinette, on the edge of tears, gave Master Fu her jacket and went to help her mother arrange the van for the injured hero.

 

* * *

 

The ride seemed to last hours... Marinette was sitting in the back of the van, Chat Noir's covered head on her lap.

She was quietly crying. He was moaning with pain every time the van was turning, or driving along a bump...

They came into view of several warehouses in another part of the city. Master Fu lead Sabine to a secluded building, and she parked the van. The little group took carefully Chat Noir inside.

The warehouse has been arranged for Miraculous holders, for emergencies. Cookies, cheese, honey, fruits, berries, reserves of food for kwamis and wielders alike. Beds and dollhouses, desks, blackboards, a kitchen and a kind of apothecary lab, there was everything they'll need.

They settled Chat Noir as confortably as they can, considering his injuries, on one of the beds.

«I must ask you to please wait in the hallway, I need to wake him up and talk to him, but again, you can't see him...»

Marinette wasn't moving, so her mother took her arm and led her outside of the room.

The Gardian put Plagg on Adrien's chest, took Marinette's jacket away from his face, and went to the apothecary lab to take a little phial in one of the drawers.

He came back to his patient to give him a few drops from the phial.

Chat Noir cough and tried, without succeeding, to open his burnt eyes.

«Don't force to open your eyes Chat Noir, you're injured, you're only going to make things worse.»

«Master... I was patrolling, and I saw you through a window... I was coming to see you, and,... I don't remember...»

«The experiment I was working on exploded... I'm sorry Chat Noir. We can heal you with magic, but I'm going to have to treat Plagg and all the other kwamis from the Miracle Box. I need someone else to take care of you. This is why I'm asking you: who do you trust to take care of you and your secret while you're healing?»

 

* * *

 

Marinette was pacing in the hallway. She wanted to go back in the room, to take care of her partner, to hold him in her arms, to told him that everything was going to be alright, to heal his wounds... What was taking so much time?

At last, Master Fu came in the hallway with them...

«Well, I talked to him. We are going to be able to heal him with magic, but magic works with its own rules, and the ointments and potions that this healing needed are linked with feelings. **Hi** **s** feelings... I can't be the one who prepare and apply those, someone else will have to do it.»

Marinette shook her head.

«I'm sorry, but unfortunatly Ladybug is out of commission, I can't transform, Tikki fainted and she needs to heal too.»

«Well, it's lucky then that Chat Noir asked for Marinette Dupain-Cheng to take care of him.»

Marinette's eyes widen.

«Wait... What? Me?»

«Yes, you. Mrs Cheng, I know the situation is uneasy, as Marinette is still young, but I really need her to stay here, with Chat Noir, until he recovered from his injuries. Wayzz and I are going to chaperon them during the time they're going to be roomates, I promise. Please, I really need her to stay.»

Sabine nodded... She'll deal with her husband... Besides, there was no way that Marinette was going anywhere before Chat Noir was taken care of, that daughter of hers was just to stubborn... She will never allow anyone else to take care of her partner.

 

* * *

 

The Guardian gave Marinette a recipe and all the ingredients she needed to make the first ointment. She was brewing it while Master Fu and her mother were undressing Chat Noir. Every time he screamed out of pain reminded her how she cared for him, how she wanted to heal him... There was no way she was going to leave the warehouse before he has totally recovered. She was going to take care of him no matter what, she was going to make the magic works.

When only Chat Noir's boxer brief remained, Master Fu asked for Sabine to leave. She reluctantly left Marinette, but she got the promise that she'll be having news of Tikki's health and Chat's recovery everyday.

Once Sabine was gone, Master Fu brought a plastic basin, a bath sponge, and request that Marinette wash her friend's bruised and burnt body.

Blushing hard, Marinette did her best. She was going to make magic works. With its own rules. She had never been this intimate with anyone, and she really was embarassed, but she needed to take care of her Chat.

The left part of his chest, abdomen and back were severly burnt, as well as his left arm, from shoulder to fingertips. His legs were miraculously unscathed.

Luckily, Marinette didn't had to channel her inner Ladybug again to clean the most intimate parts of Chat Noir. To her relief, Master Fu agreed to do it for her.

Once Chat Noir was all clean up, Marinette blindfolded her eyes and removed her jacket from his face. Master Fu and Wayzz piloted her hands to clean his face and apply the ointment on his eyes. Once his upper face was covered with bandage (instead of a mask), she removed her blindfold and apply the ointment on the left part of his body. There was little sighs of relief from his part when she was bandaging him.

Without thinking about it, she had put her jacket on his right hand. His Miraculous ring was different when Plagg wasn't inside, just like her earrings, and she didn't want to see it. It didn't feel right, it feels like betraying his trust. She was there to help him heal, not to gather informations or facts about his identity. She was here to protect him...

She took a bandage and started to cover his right hand, his ring. This was going to be easier to deal with than her jacket rolled around his arm.

Adjusting the tip of the bandage, she suddenly noticed that he was wearing her wristband, the leather one she embroided for his birthday...

 

* * *

 

Marinette was sitting next to Chat Noir's bed. She was looking at his sleeping form, listening to his breathing. He seemed to feel better, to be less in pain.

She shivered when she thought about his screams of pain earlier, when Master Fu and her Mom were undressing him. She gently run her fingers on the embroidered wristband, focusing on his breathing again.

«He didn't want us to take it of.»

Marinette jumped when Master Fu appeared next to her, exhausted. Plagg was nestled in his hands. He placed him on Chat Noir's chest and the kwami resumed his nap.

«Tikki feels better, she is sleeping with the others in the Miracle Box. But Plagg wanted to come back to his Chat Noir.»

Master Fu had went home to prepare potions for the kwamis. He thought it was better to leave the Miracle Box there, because of the still active protective spells. Now, he was back with her in the warehouse. It has been a hell of a night.

«He says it was his lucky charm and that he wanted to keep it.»

Marinette snorted.

«Well, he must have been delirious then, because, woo-haa, how lucky he was tonight!!»

«Ooooh, he was, believe me. Marinette, he was so close to the explosion, and transformed, he shouldn't have survived this. He should be dead.»

Marinette hide her horror gasp behind her hands.

«Magic has its own rules, again, and I think that this gift, handmade with love, that you gave him, has something to do with him being just hurt...»

«How do you know I made this gift for him?»

«You just told me...»

Marinette rolled her eyes and focused on Chat Noir again.

«Choose one of the beds and get some rest Marinette. You'll need all your strength to deal with magic and an injured superhero.»

Knowing Master Fu was right, Marinette adjusted Chat's blankets, went to the bed on his right and pushed it closer to him. Then she settled under the blankets, her hand resting on Chat's forearm. She fell asleep at the sound of his breathing.

«Why didn't you told her the truth, Master?»

Wayzz sat on his master's shoulder.

«She is not ready. It's not time yet. Chat Noir has opened his mind to the possibility that they are one, that's why he trust Marinette that much, he trust her with his wounds, like he wanted to trust her with a Miraculous. But Ladybug, she is not there yet. Magic has its own rules, but we don't have to explain the extent of them. She is the only one who can heal him, and she is there for him. It's all that matters... For now...»

Without another word, the old man choose a bed far from the young heros and fell asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is linked with the next one 'Mitten for Kittens'.


	9. Mittens for Kittens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 8: Marinette takes good care of her Kitty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during February 2017

3 days... It's been 3 days since Master Fu's lab exploded and Chat Noir was hurt. And since then, Marinette has spend her nights and days taking care of her partner. The kwamis were healing faster than the young hero. Plagg was getting better every day. He spent most of his time with Tikki, his 'Sugarcube', but always came back to Chat Noir to sleep.

The young man was sleeping a lot. Master Fu explained that it was a good thing. It was a sign that he was feeling safe and he wasn't fighting against the healing ointments to stay awake. His body was fastly recovering and it was exhausting. He needed his rest and he will soon be better.

Master Fu was spending the days in his massage parlor, working and taking care of the kwamis. He said he wanted to keep a low profil. He always came by night, providing food, ingredients for the ointments and news from Tikki and the bakery.

The warehouse was in the middle of a blind spot. Master Fu never did anything to connect the place to the wired network. Without him bringing news from outside, Marinette and Chat Noir would have been totally cut-off.

The young woman was organising her schedule around Chat's conscious periods. It felt wrong to her to do anything while he was asleep, so, she was washing him, applying the ointments and bandaging him only when he was awake. It was really awkward between the two of them, but it felt right.

The last two days, he has been able to help her, when she was blindfolded to take care of his eyes and his face. He wanted to do it all be himself, but Master Fu refused. It has to be Marinette, the one who made the ointments, it has to be her who apply them. Magic rules and blablabla...

Everytime she changed the bandage, she noticed that he was healing really quickly, and it was a relief. He was still unable to open his eyes, but it'll be soon.

While Chat Noir was sleeping, Marinette was knitting or sewing. The day after the accident, her mother had prepared two bags: one with a change of clothes and toiletries, the other with knitting and sewing supplies.

The first thing Marinette made was a pair of mittens. A beautiful pair of black mittens with green stitching. She had slipped the right one on Chat's hand, instead of the bandage.

Plagg found that the left one was really comfortable to sleep in and used to filch it from the bedside table. So Marinette knitted a special sleeping mitten for him, red with black spots and stitched to close the fingers. He was delighted.

Today, Marinette was sewing a black mask, with green stitching all around the eyes... Soon, Chat will be able to open his eyes and she wanted to help him keeping his identity AND seeing his surroundings....

She paused her work and looked at him. He was sleeping. She felt the tears prickling at her eyes... She has spent the last 3 days taking care of him, healing severe burnt on his body. She had to listen when he was moaning from pain, or, more often than not now, from relief. She was giving him to drink, she was feeding him, she was making sure he always was warm and comfortable. She was taking care of him, and god knows she will do it again... But she just wished she wouldn't have to, she wished she shouldn't had to... She hated seeing him here, weak and vulnerable in this bed. This was too much...

Marinette stood up and walk to one of the windows. She started to cry.

«I'm sorry Princess, I'm so sorry...»

At the rustle of fabric, Marinette turned around. Chat Noir was trying to get up...

She quickly went to the bed and gently pushed him by the shoulders to get him back to rest.

«You can't get up Chat, you're not ready yet, Master Fu said you must lie down!»

He let her settle him back under the blankets but caught her hand before she retreated.

«I heard you cry Princess. I'm sorry, you surely had better things to do during the holidays than kitten-sitting me... I shouldn't have impose this...»

«Don't be silly Kitty Cat, there isn't, and there'll never be, anything more important than taking care of you in my schedule. It's just... hard, seeing you like this, lying in this bed... I hate to see you hurt. I want to see you standing up on your feet, I want to hear you laugh, I want to give you a bone crushing hug without hurting you. I even want to hear one of your stupid puns»

Chat gently rubbed his thumb on her cheeks, wiping the tears away. He beamed at her.

«I'll keep that in mind...»

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day was nice. Chat Noir was able to stay awake a bit longer and Adrien suddenly realised that he hadn't been home for 3 DAYS!

Plagg told him that everything was under control, that he took his phone and did the damage control ever since the beginning. 'No need to worry' he said... And that was exactly why Adrien was anxious... Anyway, it was too late now, he'll have to do with whatever Plagg told his father and his friends...

 

The next day, Chat managed to open his eyes. The mask Marinette made for him was perfect. He still wasn't allowed to get up, but he can sit in the bed. He was watching Marinette bustling in the warehouse. Brewing the ointments, cleaning up the area, washing the bandage and rolling them, cooking his meals, washing him, treating his wounds, adjusting his blankets, she was always busy. His Princess was doing everything to make sure he was comfortable during his recovery. What did he do to deserve her? She abandonned everything to take care of him, she wasn't expecting anything beside a smile on his face, and it blew his mind.

 

Two more days and Chat Noir was back to normal. There was no mark, no scar on his face or his body, magic has worked. It was like nothing happened to him. Master Fu allowed him to transformed and get back home, but he didn't want Marinette and Chat to get back at the same time. He wanted one of them to stay in the warehouse for now, just for safety purpose.

Chat Noir choose to stay another night, he knew he has already asked a lot from his Princess. She needed to get back to her family. Plus, he still had to read all the messages Plagg has send to his father, to make sure he wasn't going to slip up and mess things more than they were...

«Good bye Chaton, I'll see you soon..?»

Marinette had packed all her stuff and was ready to go home. One of Master Fu's old friend was going to pick her and leave her at a subway station. Chat Noir didn't like the idea. Leaving her on her own to get home, after all she did for him. He'd rather take her home himself, but he understood the Guardian's worries...

«Before you leave, you owe me a bone crushing hug, Princess...»

He faced her, opening his arms.

«Well...hu, you're standing on your feet, but I still have to hear you laugh...»

He smiled and came closer, his arms still open for her. Marinette snuggled against him, and he closed his arms around her.

«I hate that you have to go home on your own, I'd rather be your BlaBlaCat...»

Marinette rolled her eyes.

«I'll come to see you soon, Princess. Please take care of you.»

«As much as I took care of you.»

He laughed, and Marinette hugged him tightly ...

 

* * *

 

Adrien was watching the car going away, hidden behind a curtain. He was waiting for Plagg to come back with his phone.

«There, Kid... I've left it hidden on a roof, outside of the blind spot and changed roof for each text... Didn't want your dad to burst into some random house, yelling that he want his son back...»

«Thanks Plagg. How did you explain my vanishing to Father?»

«Ho, have you seen that? Time for cheese break!»

«Plaaaaaaaggggggg»

Adrien switched on his phone and started to read the texts his kwami sent to his father.

 

_Woaow_

 

Then Adrien read the missed texts and messages on the messenger group chats he had with his friends.

He sighed. Plagg did well with the messages to his friends, even if he was a bit snappy with Chloé... But what he told his Father... Adrien realised that Plagg just told his father how he was feeling... Something he would have never dared to do by himself... He felt some kind of relief, and went out of the blind spot.

His phone chimed.

 

 

 

> **Father:** _'I'm waiting for you Adrien. How is Miss Dupain-Cheng doing?'_

 

_He is smart, every one noticed that Marinette was missing too..._

 

 

 

> **Me:** _'I'll be back tomorrow morning... As for Marinette, I don't know, you should ask Lila Rossi... She knows every things she doesn't...'_

 

The young man didn't want anyone to believe that he spent almost a week alone with Lila. The young liar had started to pretend that he was hiding with her, and despite Plagg's denial, he knew some of his classmates still believe her... Marinette was the one who helped him, took care of him, and Lila was the one bullying her. He didn't want Lila to pride herself over something his Princess did.

 

His phone chimed again.

 

 

 

> **Princess:** _'Hey, Adrien, I'm sorry to bother you, but your father went to the bakery, he was looking for you. Are you alright? Do you need some help? All you have to do is ask and I'll be there, okay?'_

 

Adrien smiled fondly. Maybe there was a subtle way to fix this... An idea started to blossom in his mind...

 

 

 

> **Me:** _'He didn't threaten you, did he?'_

 

 

 

> **Princess:** _'Oh no, I wasn't home, but he impressed Maman. Anyway, if you need anything, you know …'_

 

The idea wasn't bad, and it wasn't a lie after all...

 

 

 

> **Me:** _'I need a little help, do you mind if I come to see you, 18h?'_

 

 

 

> **Princess:** _'I'll be waiting for you... But be warn that Papa might want to keep you for diner...'_

 

Adrien smiled, it was good to have a plan.

 


	10. 'Chacun cherche son Chat'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Chapter: Adrien discovered all the messages Plagg had sent...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Chacun cherche son chat' is a french movie. A woman looses her young neighborg's cat, and sent everyone she know looking for the pet...
> 
> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during February 2017

**Father:**

  * _**Monday:**_



 

> **Me** : ' _Don't look for Me Father, I'm with a friend and I need some time._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _What's going on? Why was your phone off? When did you leave the mansion? Come back home, now!_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _How are you, Adrien? Are you happy, Adrien? Oh, how nice of you to ask, Father, well, I must say, I'm NOT happy, I was about to hurt myself when a friend saw me, and helped me, and allowed me to stay with her while I'm trying to figure things out._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _Come back home, Adrien, we can talk about it, and you can figure things out here, at home._ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm tired. I don't want to hear you talk about what you want from me, I'm tired of being alone in my room. I want to live my life, sometimes, not the one you're chosing for me. Now I'm not alone, and someone is willingly listening to me. Did you ever try to do that once in my life?_ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _Don't act like a child, come back home Adrien_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm not a child anymore, you should have noticed that. And I'll come back home when I'll feel ready. I'm safe, and taken care of, you don't need to worried._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _Just tell me where you are, then!_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I don't want you to come here and take me home._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _Please, come home._ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _This little talk is over, I'll send you a text per day, and I'll let you know when I'm coming home._ '

 

  * _**Tuesday:**_



 

> **Me:** ' _I'm fine, I'm having some rest._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _Are you coming back soon?_ '

 

  * _**Wednesday:**_



 

> **Me:** ' _I still need time. This break makes me feel better, but I'm not ready to come back yet._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _I'm looking for you, you know. Tell me where you are._ '

 

  * _**Thursday:**_



 

> **Me:** ' _Leave Nino alone, he doesn't know where I am. I'm safe._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _It's too late, I'm sorry if I make him worried. Come back home Adrien._ '

 

  * _**Friday:**_



 

> **Me:** ' _Please, leave the few of my friends that you know about alone! I'm starting to think about coming back._ '
> 
> **Father:** ' _You said you tried to hurt yourself... What happened Adrien? Please, tell me what bothered you that much. I miss you, please, comme back._ '

 

* * *

 

**DJNino:**

  * _**Monday:**_



 

> **DJNino:** ' _You want us to do something fun this week? Do you have some free time?_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm not going to be available right now, maybe this weekend?'_
> 
> **DJNino:** ' _Ok Dude, try to have some rest._ '

 

  * _**Wednesday:**_



 

> **DJNino:** ' _Dude, your dad is looking for you, he was worried, and scary. Where are you?_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm safe, Nino, don't worry, I'm not alone, and I'm having some rest, for once._ '
> 
> **DJNino:** ' _Ok, next time you elope, juste let me know. Be carefull._ '
> 
> **DJNino:** ' _Hey, are you hidding with Mari? She's missing too..._ 😁'
> 
> **Me:** ' 😒  _I'm not going to answer that, Nino._ '

 

* * *

 

 

**Chlo:**

  * _**Monday:**_



 

> **Chlo:** ' _Adrikins, I need to see you, you'll be there in an hour_.'
> 
> **Chlo:** ' _I'm waiting for you..._ '
> 
> **Chlo:** ' _Don't tell me your dad is keeping you busy during the holidays?_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm on vacations Chlo, that means I'm not going to come to see you. It won't be vacations with you around anyway_ '
> 
> **Chlo:** ' _Pardon?_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _I'm cutting out every toxic relationship. See you at school, Chlo..._ '

 

  * _**Tuesday:**_



 

> **Chlo:** ' _Your father is looking for you, he was awful with me, you'll need to make it up to me for Agreste's behavior, father and son alike!_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _If you have something to blame my father for, talk to him (and good luck with that!)_ '

 

  * _**Friday:**_



 

> **Chlo:** ' _Lila says that she is keeping you safe at her home!!_ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _Oh? Didn't know..._ '
> 
> **Chlo:** ' _…_ '

 

* * *

 

**Alya:**

  * _**Thursday:**_



 

> **Alya:** ' _Your father tried to frighten Nora, he was looking for you..._ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _Ouch... Is he alright?_   😜'
> 
> **Alya:** ' _Tell me that Mari is with you? I'm worried and her Mom is elusive..._ '
> 
> **Me:** ' _If Mari wants you to know where and with who she is, she'll tell you. If I wanted you to know where and with who I'm, I would have already told Nino..._ '
> 
> **Alya:** ' _Ah ah, smart, Agreste, I'm keeping an eye on you!_ '

 

* * *

 

**' Fantomette':**

 

 

> **Max:** _Has anyone see Adrien since the beginning of the holidays?_
> 
> **Max:** _His father is a bit scary to deal with..._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _Nop, but Daddy Agreste came here too..._
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _You should be honored, he almost never get out of his mansion and he lowered to visit you_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _As if Adrikins would choose to go in one of your shanty house..._
> 
> **Lila:** _He didn't choose your house anyway..._
> 
> **MicotonMylène:** _Did you see Mr Agreste too Lila?_
> 
> **Lila:** _Yes, but I had to lie to him. Adrien doesn't want to get back home right now._
> 
> **DJNino:** _Adrien is at your place?_
> 
> **Lila:** _I can't say anything..._
> 
> _**...*Lots of messages pressing Lila to give news from Adrien*...** _
> 
> **Adrien:** _I'm not with Lila and I'll appreciate that the attempt to found me just stopped, And I also want everyone to stop lying or assuming about where I am._
> 
> **Adrien:** _Lila, you need to stop that..._
> 
> **Lila:** _I just wanted to help you..._
> 
> _**...*Lots of question to Adrien, but nothing about Lila's lie*...** _
> 
> **Nath:** _Your father is still looking for you. He came to me. He even went on the_ _ **Liberty**_ _..._
> 
> **Alix:** _I would have paid to see Daddy Agreste trying to figure out what Juleka is saying_ 😁
> 
> **Ivan:** _Or, face Captain Anarka..._
> 
> **LadyBlogger:** _Anyway, I've been laughing a lot, you should have seen this:_
> 
> **LadyBlogger:** _Gabriel Agreste trying to frighten Nora..._
> 
> **Alix:** 💛 💛 💛 💛 💛 💛 _Please, say you recorded it..._
> 
> **LadyBlogger:** _Didn't think about it..._
> 
> _**...*Lots of messages describing Gabriel Agreste's visits to Adrien's classmates*...** _
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _Adrien is unavailable again..._
> 
> **LadyBlogger:** _I wonder where they are..._
> 
> **Lila:** _They?_
> 
> **LadyBlogger:** _Adrien isn't the only one missing..._
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _And? It doesn't mean anything!!_
> 
> **Alix:** _Sure, it doesn't_ 😜 😇
> 
>  

* * *

 

**' Impressing the Girls'**

 

> **Ivan:** _I'm inviting Luka._
> 
> _**Luka joined this chat** _
> 
> **Luka:** _Juleka and Rose are worried, Marinette is nowhere to be found and she isn't answering any message._
> 
> **Luka:** _Someone knows where she is?_
> 
> **Nath:** _??? She wasn't leaving during this holidays..._
> 
> **Luka:** _No, and she was supposed to come aboard with new sketchs for Kitty Section..._
> 
> **Ivan:** _Mylène is worried too, and Alya doesn't know anything._
> 
> **DJNino:** _We went to the bakery, Mari wasn't there and her mom was elusive._
> 
> **DJNino:** _'Marinette isn't here, she's taking care of a sick relative'_
> 
> **Nath:** _A relative? Not her GrandPa or an uncle? Weird phrasing..._
> 
> **Max:** _It is statistically unlikely that Marinette and Adrien are missing at the same time and there's no connection ..._
> 
> **Nath:** _?? Adrien ??_
> 
> **Max:** _Gabriel Agreste visited me, I was on his list because Adrien came to play UMS III at my place several times..._
> 
> **Max:** _He's looking for Adrien..._
> 
> **Luka:** _Weird..._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _The agoraphobic control freak fashion mogul looking for his son at our places? Us peasants? Weird is an understatement..._
> 
> **Marc:** _Wouaw, @KimTheBest knows what agoraphobic means..._
> 
> **DJNino:**  😁
> 
> **DJNino:** _Adrien sent me a text, he is not alone, he is safe and he knows his father is looking for him. It's all I know..._
> 
> **Ivan:** _Do you think Adrien and Marinette are dating?_
> 
> **Nath:** _NO_
> 
> **Luka:** _NO_
> 
> **DJNino:** _LMAO_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fantomette is a french fictionnal hero, her real name is Françoise Dupont (yes, it is ^^), so, made sense for the groupe chat name with all the classmates.  
> MiCotonMylène is a pun. But I just can't translate it... Laine (pronouncing just like lène) is the french word for whool. MiCoton/Mylène - Mi coton / Mi Laine - Half cotton / half whool... It is a common pun with the name Mylène.  
> 'Impressing the Girls' was a chat group created by Kim for one of his bet... Now it have other purposes...


	11. Ice Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 9: Marinette has to deal with Chloé's and Lila's shenanigans...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during March 2017

A lot of things have changed since the holidays. Adrien persuaded Marinette that they needed to cover up for each other. They both needed an explanation for their mysterious disappearance on the first week.

> _'I was with a friend who took care of me when I needed it. I'll tell you who she is, one day, but for now, it's not only my secret, it's hers too...'_
> 
> _'I can't tell anyone with who I was too, but I don't want to lie to our classmates...'_
> 
> _'We don't have to lie. We can just stay vague... They'll think they know. Like my father. He thinks I was with you...'_

The young woman agreed. There was no way she can say no to Adrien anyway. Everytime he said ' _I wasn't with Lila, and I wasn't at Marinette's place_ ', the others heard ' _I was somewhere else with Marinette_ '. They all knew she wasn't home that week, and Marinette kept saying that if Gabriel Agreste was unable to get anything from her, no one will. Alya thought she was challenging her and poor Marinette still had to dodge questions every now and there...

It was an open secret that Gabriel Agreste came one morning at the bakery, during Marinette's shift and asked her in front of customers (including Kim) were she was that week, promising a lot of money and an internship at _**Gabriel**_. She didn't say anything.

 

Along with the little puzzle game she was playing with her classmates, Marinette had a lot on her plate. The students from Première at Françoise Dupont were running a charity event, but the other classes reps suddenly started missing meetings, and left her dealing alone with a kind of crisis.

There was a 'mishap' with the planning of the place where the event was supposed to be. Then none of the volonteers came to the painting session in the art-room for the decoration-making. And at last, Chloé started a campaign on the social networks telling everyone how Marinette was a failure and that the charity party was compromised because of her.

Adrien has been really helpful, he get Philippe, from the ice rink, to lent said ice rink for the event. He also manage to get a special platform stage, used for photoshoots, from his father. Gabriel Agreste was a lot more compehensive with his son, since his little holidays escape...

Thanks to Adrien, Marinette now had a place for the charity ball, kinda... The ice rink was going to be devided into two parts: one with the platform stage, where the students where going to dance, and all around, well, the courageous ones would be able to skate and dance on ice. The buffet and the refreshments were going to be set on the seating area with a nice tetris game of boards and trestles, and there already was a sound system. Philippe agreed to leave the ice skates closet key if they clean and tidy everything before they gave the keys back.

Nathaniel and the art club helped her with the decorations and banners, and they even manage to make a photobooth and some accessories for souvenir photos...

All the students who bet that Marinette was going to cancel the charity event were seriously disappointed...

 

* * *

 

The charity ball was a success...

And Marinette was seriously angry with the classes reps...

They paraded all evening... They have let her down with all the preparation, and yet, they posed proudly on the picture with the representative of the association they choose to support. As by chance, when the picture was takken Marinette was busy with the buffet's restocking, so the one who exhausted herself preparing the event wasn't even on the picture...

They didn't help during the crisis when the event was compromised, they didn't helped with the preparation of the decorations, they didn't even help with the setup before the evening...

And right now, Marinette was all alone in the ice rink. She went to store the fresh food leftovers in a fridge, and when she came back, everyone was gone...

She didn't know where or why. Some of the teachers were supposed to stay to oversee the cleaning, classes reps and classmates were supposed to help... Where were they all gone? Why was she all by herself?

The buffet's boards and trestles needed to be disassembled, the forty something pairs of skates needed to be cleaned, the decorations and banners needed to be takken off... And, there was the stage...

Marinette sighed and decided to start with the skates cleaning...

 

* * *

 

Adrien was upset... Being allowed to go to the party was a real change for him, but his father wanted him home early, and he had to left without dancing with his Princess,... She was busy all evening anyway.

He did his best to help Marinette with the setup of the evening, and even took a shift at the refreshments stand.

Ladybug had told him the previous week that she won't be able to patrol tonight, so Chat Noir decided to visit his Princess. He still had to visit her after the events at Master Fu's warehouse...

He did his patrol and was really surprised to find all of his classmates and the other Premières from Françoise Dupont on the Pont des Arts, eating André's ice creams...

He posed for some selfies and pictures with them all, looking around for Marinette.

He ended up asking Alya about his Princess's whereabouts...

«Oh, she's still at the ice rink with the city cleaning squad Mr Mayor sent...»

Chat Noir blinked...

There was no city cleaning squad scheduled, he knew it, he was there when Mayor Bourgeois tried to convince Philippe not to lent the ice rink. Without Adrien, Mr Bourgeois would have certainly threatened the skating teacher... He made it very clear that no city employees nor funds could be used for this event. He said that he was already being very nice, that he could vetoed the lending of the ice rink...

«A city cleaning squad, are you sure? It's weird, last year my classmates had to do all the cleaning after our school ball...»

«Yeah, it's what Lila told us. Chloé left with the classes reps and the teachers to Le Grand Paris for an after party she's throwing. Lila talked it through with Mr Damoclès and told us that Marinette was waiting for the cleaning squad and would join us later here, at André's...»

«Lila said so...»

«Yep... But it's been more than 2 hours now, so maybe she just went home to sleep...»

Chat Noir was angry. If Chloé took away the teachers and Lila the students, then Marinette was all by herself doing the cleaning up after a 450 people party in an ice rink...

Maybe it was time to bring Lila's lies to light...

 

Chat Noir made a quick detour to Le Grand Paris to talk with the teachers... He wanted to know exactly what Lila said.

Chloé took the classes reps of the others Premières and the teachers who were supposed to oversee the cleaning at Le Grand Paris. Nobody says no to Chloé. Especially if her father was there too...

Lila has assured Mr Damoclès and Miss Bustier that she was going to supervise the cleaning with the Art teacher. And then she suggested that all the students went to eat André's ice creams as there own after party, leaving Marinette alone at the ice rink...

 

Chat Noir runned there, it was almost 4 in the morning...

 

* * *

 

Marinette sighed...

Looking backwards, she was very happy that a lot of her classmates brought there own ice skates, or decided against skating...

With Tikki's help, she had cleaned and stored all the skates. Then, she thought seriously about transforming into Ladybug to remove the boards and trestles from the buffet and disassemble the stage, but Tikki convinced her that maybe some of her classmates were going to feel guilty and come back to help her. This would be kind of a shock for them to find Ladybug instead of Marinette...

Marinette sighed again. The boards and trestles from the buffet were on their trollet, ready to be load in the van and given back to the fencing club.

Only remains the decorations and the stage... The huge platform that the athletism club members put together in a little more than 2 hours...

She started to unclip the bords and put them aside on a luge, for an easier carry... She decided to dismantle the structure along, to gain time.

«You have a good method Princess, but you shouldn't be doing this alone...»

Startled, Marinette jumped and slided, nearly falling. Chat Noir, transformed for the occasion, caught her before she hit the iced ground, hard.

He steadied her before releasing his hold on her waist.

«Chat Noir!! You nearly gave me a heart attack!!»

Chat Noir chuckled.

«Sorry Princess, I didn't mean to... Are you alrigth?»

Marinette suddenly felt all the tiredness and the anger from the day...

«Yeah, of course Kitty, I'm alright, I spent all my evening dealing with the buffet and the refreshments restocking, and the ice skates' loans, and the lockers' problem, and each and everyone nerves, and now they are all gone and I'm just stuck here dealing alone with the cleaning and all, but hey, yeah, I'm alrigth!»

Chat Noir nodded...

«No one was supposed to help you?»

«Yeah, they were supposed to... We made a beautiful sheet with all the chores and anyone who was whilling to help just enroll... But if they didn't want to help, then why write their names on? I mean, if it is was prank, it really isn't funny...»

She took a piece of paper out of her back pocket.

«Others Premières classes reps, some few from Terminales, lots of my classmates... I don't know where they're all gone...»

«I'm gonna help you Princess...»

«Thanks Chaton, but it is late already, and really, you don't have to... You must have better things to do...»

«Are you kidding me? Better things to do? Jeez Princess... I WANT to help...»

With Chat Noir's help, the stage was dismantle and put aside in the trolley that Gabriel's employees were going to pick up the next morning.

The hero took out his baton and set some music.

«Alright, dance break...»

«I'm not sure we should...»

Before she could finished her sentence, Chat Noir was pushing her on the ice, and he started to dance, Marinette settled in his arms.

«Princess, you desserve a break, please... Dance with me...»

«O-okay...»

Two songs later, Marinette ordered the end of the break, and they took off the banners and others decorations. Soon, only remained the photobooth...

Marinette pouted.

«I haven't been able to take a single picture with my friends...»

«Am I your friend, Princess?»

«Of course you are! Silly Cat!»

They shoot a couple of photos and everyting was put away. Everything was ready for the next morning, the young woman was ready to go home.

She looked one last time around, making sure that everything was correctly settled, then switch the lights off, and, at last, she locked the ice rink.

«Thanks for all Chat Noir, I hope I'll see you soon. Have a good night.»

«Princess, did you really think I would leave you on your own, this late in the night? There, your BlaBlaCat is going to get you home.»

Less than 10 minutes later, Chat Noir brougth Marinette down on her balcony. It was nearly 6 in the morning....

«Good night Princess...»

«'Night Kitty»

She kissed his cheek and opened her skylight.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir watched as a very exhausted Marinette crawling inside her bedroom. Then he went back home... He had all he needed, he was going to give Lila Rossi a little lesson... And to begin with, he was going to teach her that for a situation, it was better to choose one and only one lie.

He detransformed and started an update for his **InChatGram**...

 

> **ChatNoir:** _Ladybug and I have not put any citizens in the spotlight for a long time. The last time we did it was Captain Anarka Couffaine, who had offered a cruise on the Seine to all the children who had been victims of HawkMoth (and I thank her again for her action)._
> 
> _I thought I was going to put the spotlight on the Première Students of Françoise Dupont, as they set a Charity Ball to the benefit of ' **The new Beginning** ', but then I had second thougths about it... _😒
> 
> _I'm going to put the spotlight on one, and only one student from Françoise Dupont._
> 
> _**[Photo of Chat Noir and Marinette, black bags under her eyes, taken with the photobooth frame]** _
> 
> _Marinette Dupain-Cheng is the citizen I'm going to praise today. You see, when her schoolmates were having ice creams at André's..._ 🍦
> 
> _**[Photo of Première and Terminal students from Françoise Dupont on Pont des Arts]** _
> 
> _And the others classes reps were having an after party at Le Grand Paris with the mayor and their teachers..._ 🎉
> 
> _**[Photo of Première classes reps with Chloé, The Mayor, Mr Damoclès and Miss Bustier]** _
> 
> _After a very nice party..._
> 
> _**[Photo of the party at the ice rink, with Marinette and Adrien on the back serving refreshments]** _
> 
> _Marinette Dupain-Cheng was cleaning, alone, the ice rink where the Charity occured..._ 😾
> 
> _**[Photo of Marinette, dismantling the stage alone at Chat Noir's arrival]** _
> 
> _I think she gave more than any other for ' **The New Beginning** ', and this is why I decided that she was going to be alone on the spotlight, and she is going to be my guest to Jagged Stone masquerade. _😽
> 
>  
> 
> **56 💚 4 Comments**
> 
> **Captain_Anarka:** _It was my pleasure Chat Noir, and good job Marinette_
> 
> **JaggedStone:** _Yeah, Chat Noir, I'll be happy to see my sweet Mary at your arm!_ 🎸
> 
> **Zakaddy:** _Chat Noir, you'll have the most beautiful girl of Paris with you._ 💜
> 
> **Nath_Comics:** _Thank you Chat Noir, you reminded us that we didn't deserve our Mari..._

 

* * *

 

**'Fantomette':**

 

 

> **Nath:** _Why was Marinette doing all the cleaning alone?_
> 
> **Nath:** _Where was the city cleaning squad??_
> 
> **Kim Best:** _I'd like to know too... This platform was a nightmare to build, and we were fifteen pals doing it, how on earth did Mari end up on her own dismantling it!!_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _What? A city cleaning squad? You must be kidding! You put your names on a fucking 'tidy' planning sheet, you were the ones supposed to help her!!_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _Daddy is furious!! @Lila told him, Mr Damoclès and Miss Bustier that she was supervising the cleaning with the Art Teacher!_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _Do you realise how much trouble this is for Daddy?!? Marinette is an underage student left alone in a municipal facility!!_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _Reporters are already harassing him right now! And Marinette's parents can totally sue my Dad and the school!!_
> 
> **MicotonMylène:** _@Lila? You were never supposed to supervise anything during the Charity party, let alone the cleaning... I don't get it..._
> 
> **Nath:** _The Art Teacher was at a private view last night. He just popped up early in the evening to bring the photobooth materials from school..._
> 
> **DJNino:** _@Lila, we need some explanations there... You told us about a city cleaning squad_
> 
> **DJNino:** _You told the teachers you were handling things_
> 
> **DJNino:** _And in the end, there is only @Mari doing things alone...??_
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _Seriously? We totally should have see it coming_
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _Ever since @Mari spent the week taking care of @Adrien:_
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _@QueenChlo did her best, harassing and theatening the classes reps from other Première to make sure they abandonned @Mari with all the setting for the Charity_
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _@QueenChlo made sure that the facility for the party was cancelled to stress her more_
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _And then, @Lila just had to push a bit and we all abandonned @Mari as well._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _In short, @QueenChlo and @Lila teamed up despite themselves to make sure @Mari was going to have a hard time out there..._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _...and they made sure this was going to be stressfull and exhausting, knowing that @Mari would never gave up..._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _And then that backfired, because Chat Noir caught us on the Pont des Arts before going to help @Mari and exposed @Lila's lies and @QueenChlo's tricks to the world..._
> 
> **KimTheBest:** _And they call ME dumb..._
> 
> **Max:** _@KimTheBest has a point..._
> 
> **Max:** _@QueenChlo et @Lila, something to say?_
> 
> **QueenChlo:** _I don't have to say anything, I never put my name on any sheet to do anything or else, and I never pretended I was going to do or did anything..._
> 
> **Lila:** _I don't understand, Marinette tricked me, she said that there was a city cleaning squad coming to help..._
> 
> **Ladyblogger:** _Oh, yeah? Then why did you told the Mayor and the teachers that YOU were handling things??_
> 
> **Ladyblogger:** _It's a bit hard to believe that..._
> 
> **Ivan:** _And if @Mari knew that there was a city clean squad, why did she ask for our help to begin with..?_
> 
> **Adrien:** _@Lila, with all this new elements, I am wondering, do you really know Jagged Stone and Prince Ali, or was it a lie, just like when you pretended being best friend with Ladybug..?_
> 
> **Ladyblogger:** _Wait... What?_ 😳 _...?_
> 
> **Adrien:** _You never asked Ladybug, Alya? You didn't check your sources? Asked for proof? I was there, when Ladybug confronted Lila..._
> 
> **Adrien:** _The same day she pretended that she owned the Fox Miraculous... Just before she got akumatised in Volpina... And we all know that the Fox Miraculous belong to Rena Rouge..._
> 
> **Ladyblogger:** _Why didn't you say anything?_
> 
> **DJNino:** _…_ 😕  _..._
> 
> **Adrien:** _Alya, seriously? Each and every time that Marinette told you that Lila was lying, you asked for evidence from her and sometimes you even scolded her... I didn't have proof, I was there, I didn't record anything..._
> 
> **Alix:** _@Lila, you have some big explanations to give... @Rose, can you ask Prince Ali about her?_
> 
> **Juleka:** _Hey, Luka just saw Marinette, at 8 this morning she was opening the Ice Rink for Mr Agreste's team, and taking the fencing club stuff to bring it back with her parents delivery van... Her dad was helping her..._
> 
> **Alix:** _We fucked up..._

 


	12. Victorian AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MariChat May Day 10: The next day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during March 2017

Marinette sighed... When Chat Noir had drop her off earlier, she really wanted to go to bed... But then she saw the time and realised that she only had an hour before she must leave with her Dad. She showered, drunk some coffee and headed back to the ice rink.

 

She had offload the boards and trestles from the refreshments stand at the fencing club. All the accessories and frames from the photobooth were now stored in the art supply closet, maybe they could be used at another party... It was 11am, saturday, and she was awake since friday 3am, thanks to an early Akuma, and Chloé's & Lila's shenanigans... She was more than exhausted... She needed to sleep...

Several messages notifications were popping on her phone, but she just couldn't care. If some of her friends or schoolmates were trying to contact her, well, they can wait, they did have some sleep after all,.

 

Her mother was busy with costumers at the bakery, Marinette slipped behind the counter and whispered in her ear.

«I'm going to bed, I'll switch off my phone, please wake me up if there is an Akuma...»

«Okay, sleep well Mari-Jolie.»

Sabine kissed her daughter's cheek and watched her climbing in the appartment...

 

Marinette settled a plate full of cookies on her desk. Tikki went to bed in her dollhouse. The night was taking its toll on the kwami too... The young woman put on her pyjamas after a quick stop in the bathroom. Then, she slipped in bed, at last, her phone switched off and abandonned on her desk.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir landed on Marinette's balcony, a bit worried. She had been unreachable all day, despite all the texting and messaging their schoolmates tried...

He gently knocked at the skylight.

«Come in, Chat Noir...»

He quickly get inside her room and opened his arms to her.

«Princess, if you've been reading half of what was written about you today, you need a big hug...»

Marinette get into his arms, a sad smile on her lips.

«And how do you know that, Kitty..?»

Chat Noir smiled...

«I'm friend with Adrien, remember..?»

Their classmates had been arguing over the ' **Fantomette** ' chat on messenger all day... Lila managed to convince part of them that Marinette tricked her. She made a very detailled explanation lie, and Sabrina & Alya believed it without question... Some students like Kim, Alix, Nathaniel or Max decided to support Marinette, they understood a lot of things now, knowing that Lila was lying... And they were frustrated they didn't see it before...

«I know it must break your heart, knowing that Alya, your 'best friend' isn't trusting you, and kept asking for evidence...»

Marinette started to sob against his chest. Holding her in his arms, Chat Noir tried to comfort his friend.

«She came here, you know... She was like a hurricane entering my room, asking for explanations on my behaviour, I'd been sleeping barely for 3 hours when she wake me up...»

Adrien knew it, but Chat Noir was curious, maybe she'll give him some details Alya didn't share...

«Your Mum didn't tell her you were sleeping?»

Marinette slipped out of his arms, wiped her tears, and started to pace, angry, in her room... Angry, but exhausted...

«Of course she did, but Alya told her that I was awake and waiting for her, she **_lied_** to my parents!! Can you believe that!! And then she shake me awake, saying that I deserved this sleepless night, that I was beeing so mean with Lila!! I just didn't get it, I didn't speak to Lila during the party, the one time I've been next to her, I was talking to Mylène and Lila, she just ignored me!»

«Well, Mylène didn't tell her that?»

Marinette turned to face him again...

«Maybe... I don't know... Anyway, Alya is asking evidences that I didn't talk to Lila after the teachers left the party... Why is she asking evidences from me and not from Lila? Nooooooooo, Miss SuperLiar could say that she met Queen Victoria, and Alya would be like 'Hey, give me an exclusive interview!!' without any second thoughts...»

She shook her head... She pointed to her computer, her mailbox open...

«Mr Damoclès is also asking for explanations. They all believed her, never asked me anything, and now they all come after me!»

«She isn't even a class rep', she wasn't in charge of anything, why on earth didn't they look for you?!? It was their responsability, it's not your fault...»

Chat Noir sighed, he wanted to show Marinette's work and to put the light on Lila's lies, but he just made things more difficult for his Princess.

«I'm so sorry, Princess, I didn't want my _InChatGram_ post to be such an inconveniance to you...»

«Hey, it's okay, at least now some classmates like Kim and Max know that she's a liar...»

Marinette's computer pinged, telling her she's got a new mail...

«If it's someone asking of me to beg for Lila's forgiveness again, I'm telling you to be ready, Chat, because I'm going to attract a fucking Akuma!!»

The hero worriedly scanned the windows, ready to pounce on an evil butterfly, while his friend was reading her message... Marinette suddenly burst out laughing...

«Oh my... Good job... A student from terminal class followed Lila at the party... He wanted to make a documentary about her for the school blog... He filmed ALL her interactions between the moment she left home until she get back after André's ice creams... He noticed I didn't talk to Lila a single time... He says he feels like an idiot, and he now understand that Lila was bullying me and not the other way around... He says he's sorry and that he linked the complete video...»

Chat Noir came to get a closer look at the screen, and Marinette started the video.

They quickly made sure that it wasn't a tampered video, and then Marinette sent the hyperlink to Alya...

> **Mari_DC:** _There, some evidence, happy Alya?_
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _You must feel so proud, being such a good friend, being such a good reporter, so adamant about asking evidence of anything said to you..._
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _Just like you asked for evidence when Lila told you she was Ladybug's best friend..._
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _Just like you asked for evidence when Lila told you she was doing something with Prince Ali during Hero Day_
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _Just like you asked for evidence when Lila told you she saved Jagged Stone's kitten..._
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _Oh, wait, I'm so stupid, she's Lila, she doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, she is just ALWAYS telling the truth... No need to check on anything she said..._
> 
> **Mari_DC:** _I just hope you're not going to ask for more evidence that I REALLY need to sleep..._

Chat Noir was smiling, reading over his Princess' shoulder. The young woman, edgy, and at the same time relieved, decided to also send Zachary's hyperlink to Mr Damoclès and Miss Bustier.

«Do you allow me to use your words, about their responsability and all? You were right, I mean, Lila isn't a class rep', the teachers should have come to me...»

«Go on Princess, they need a little rebuke, after all...»

 

* * *

 

Marinette wrote her message to Mr Damoclès and Miss Bustier, then she sent the mail and turned towards Chat Noir.

«You know, you could have asked me out _**before**_ you told all your followers that I was going to Jagged Stone's Mascarade with you... Now, I _**have**_ to go, I can't say no without embarassing you...»

Chat Noir smirked and winked.

«I knew Ladybug wasn't going to come with me, she is going without her mask... So, I decided to go with the other girl of my dreams...»

Chat Noir suddenly realised what he said... And how accurate it was... He thanked the One Above that his Princess was busy hiding her own blush...

_Get a grip Agreste..._

«You, hu, you are already dressed up for the party, I'm going to have to find something to wear at the Mascarade... Maybe we should match?»

«Oh, Princess, I think you'll look gorgeous wearing my colors...»

_God, Adrien!! Chill out!_

The blush on Marinette's cheek took another shade of red...

«I, hu, I think I really need to go to bed now, Chat... I have 3 weeks to choose my outfits, so, let's just call it a day...»

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided at the beginning of my fanfics that Marinette and Adrien were born in 2000. They got their Miraculous in 2013... At that Moment, we saw in Stoneheart that Master Fu is 186 years old (and a half). Master Fu was born in 1827 in my timeline. He is approximately 10 when he ran away with the Miracle Box, and lost the Book and the 2 Miraculous. Queen Victoria's reign started in 1837... I don't think Master Fu would have been able to give the Miraculous's to someone during the Victorian period... So I decided to just mention Queen Victoria...


	13. Mask Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jagged Stone is throwing a party...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during Avril 2017

 

> _«Okay, you got evidence that Lila lied about the Charity Party, BUT that doesn't mean that you're right about the other things...»_
> 
> _«Wait... What?»_
> 
> _«You're just jealous, because she can talk to Adrien without stuttering, just like Chloé and Kagami, so, you don't like her!»_
> 
> _«You know I've never said anything that wasn't the truth about Chloé or Kagami, why would it be different with Lila? Why can't you see that she is a liar?»_
> 
> _«She just made a mistake because YOU are always trying to catch her out. If you could just try, I'm sure you'll be friend with Lila.»_
> 
> _«Get away Alya.»_
> 
> _«What?»_
> 
> _«Get away. I don't need more evidence that you don't see me as your friend, you question every single thing I'm saying, but you just trust her...»_
> 
> _«Woaow, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, playing selfish and childish, you really hate her don't you... See, it's only because of Adrien...»_
> 
> _«GET AWAY!!»_

 

* * *

 

Marinette was applying the final touch to her make up, it's been 3 weeks since this painful conversation... She sighed, thinking about how it hurts to hear Alya aknowledging every single lie Lila was serving her little court...

The two former best friends didn't really speak to each other this days, and there was a big split in the classgroup. Those who thought Lila made a little mistake after the party, and those who now know that Lila was lying since the very first day...

There also was those who were waiting for more evidence, like Rose, who was waiting to contact Prince Ali, unavailable for protocol reasons.

Alya was annoyed with Marinette... She was saying to anyone willing to listen that _'Lila feels miserable because of Marinette's bullying, she should be ashamed!'_. No way, she wasn't ashamed, she wasn't bullying anyone but she was sorry that Alya was so gullible...

Marinette sighed... Moping was not going to help.

 _Smile girl, come on_...

She was going to spent a nice evening at Jagged Stone's Mascarade, with Chat Noir.

Marinette giggled, remembering Chloé's and Lila's faces when Adrien said he wasn't going to the Mascarade, because the girl he wanted to ask out was already going with someone else...

He probably was talking about the mysterious girl he spent the week with, during the holidays... But everyone in school assumed that he was talking about Marinette...

Chloé had her daddy provinding invitations for her and whoever she thought wealthy and beautiful enough to make her shine. Lila made up another lie about lost mail due to her trip aboard with her parents, but she didn't care (she said), she can see 'Jagged' whenever she wanted...

Marinette shook her head and put some cookies in her purse. She still has to put on the mask, Chat Noir would soon be here...

 

* * *

 

Adrien locked his bedroom door. Another frugal meal all alone... He sighed. His father was trying, ever since his accidental disapperance stunt, but it was still not enough according to Adrien... He never was there for his son... He allowed him some sleepovers at Nino's, he allowed him some nights out with his friends, but the dining room remained empty... Well, at least he accepted his son's 'no' when he asked of Adrien to go to the Mascarade with Lila. Adrien didn't want to have anything to do with her and pointed to his father that the bully was facing a great reveal of her lies and that he didn't want to be associated with her.

He sighed again. There was nothing he could do about his father now. He had to get ready, he was going to the Mascarade with the beautiful baker's daughter, and he was really happy about that.

«Plagg Claws out.»

 

* * *

 

 

Chat Noir was running on the rooftops, he was just on time. He landed on Marinette's balcony and knocked at the skylight.

«Come in, Chat...»

He opened the little window and slipped inside his classmate's bedroom. He turned towards her and had some difficulties to remember how to breath...

Marinette was wearing a black skatter dress, edged with green lace, 'his' green. Her legs were covered with black legging pants and she was wearing black boots with kitten heels, which Chat Noir assumed be more comfortable to dance... She had manage to style her hair in two little kitty ear buns, and she was wearing the mask she stitched for him at Master Fu's warehouse. He brought it back when they were talking about her outfit for the Mascarade...

And, the icing on the cake, she made a beautiful fluffy tail that was gracefully moving behind her...

He wanted to see her wearing his colors, well, he wasn't disappointed...

«You're gorgeous Princess.»

Marinette blushed.

«Thank you Chat...»

«B-but, huh, something is missing... Close your eyes...»

She frowned.

«You know you trust me, Princess, please, close your eyes, I'll let you know when you can open them again...»

She closed her eyes and waited.

«Claws in.»

The green flash of light was unmistakable...

« **CHAT!!** »

«Keep your eyes close, Princess...»

Adrien removed his birthday leather bracelet and put it on Marinette's wrist.

«Plagg, Claws out.»

The green flash of light filed the room and Chat Noir was back in the room.

«You can open your eyes Princess.»

Marinette opened her eyes to look at her wrist...

«A little something was missing on your outfit. You'll give it back to me after the Mascarade...»

The young woman smirked...

«Territorial Kitty? How cute...»

Chat Noir hide his blush, turning towards the skylight...

 

* * *

 

Less than ten minutes later, Chat Noir was handing his invitations to the Grand Paris' bellhop.

 

Marinette introduced her knight in leather armor to Zachary, the young man who recorded Lila at the Ice Rink, and whom she gave her own invitation to the Mascarade...

«My sweet Marinette, I'm so happy to see you here. You're gorgeous my little dove...»

Jagged Stone kissed Marinette on both cheek under Chat Noir's amused look. Zachary, on the other hand, was really impressed...

The Rock Star was wearing a rock'n roll version of Arlequin outfit, a Marinette's original, there was no doubt about it...

«Jagged, let me introduce Zachary Cochey, one of my schoolmate, and a one of the writer of our school blog... It would be wonderfu if you accept a little interview...»

«Mr Stone, it is such an honor to meet you...»

Zachary was looking at Marinette and Jagged Stone in awe... Chat Noir found it a bit... disturbing...

«No problem Dove, I'm going to do this little interview, come on Zach, you have fifteen minutes thanks to Mari, use them well...»

Penny Rolling, dressed as a beautiful androgyn Colombine, another Marinette's original, watched Jagged and Zachary going away, smiling...

«Good evening Marinette, I'm so glad Chat Noir made you changed your mind and that you came tonight...»

Chat Noir frowned. Marinette didn't want to come to the Mascarade? The Mascarade organised by her idol and friend..?

«Yeah, hum, Chat Noir was very... Well he convinced me... I know that Jagged was disappointed, but, I didn't had a date, and... huh... I didn't want to come all alone, and...»

Marinette blushed, and she seemed to be really uncomfortable...

«I'm glad you're here, Jagged is going to sing some pieces of the new album, and, well, you know...»

Bob Ross cut her off without any consideration for the two young people and started dragging her to the other end of the room ... Marinette seemed at the same time relieved of the interruption and annoyed by that dear old Bob...

«You didn't want to come Princess? You can fool Penny with this date story of yours but I'm not buying it... Do you want to talk about it?»

 

* * *

 

Marinette sighed... Nope, she didn't want to talk about it...

«Let's just say that I didn't want to see someone, and leave it at that... I'll be okay...»

She didn't want to see Adrien on a date with Chloé, or worst, Lila... Those two little brats always seemed to find a way to end up on Gabriel Agreste's list of suitable girls for his son...

Plus, somewhere here, was the girl Adrien Agreste liked, and it broke her heart even more...

The Mayor's daugther choose that exact moment to make an appearance in front of Chat Noir and Marinette... She was wearing a beautiful dress, a reminder of her heroic past. She was Queen Bee going to Venise for the carnival. Her dress was gorgeous...

«Dupain-Cheng... Your outfit shows your complete lack of imagination, once again you prove that your 'talent' shines by its mediocrity...»

«Chloé, good evening, it's always a pleasure to see you... I love your outfit, how humble of you to make such a tribute to Melifae...»

Chat Noir snickered at the outraged look on Chloé's face. She wasn't given the time to snap at Marinette, Jagged was gathering all his guests...

«My dear friends, I organised that Mascarade as a preview of my next album. But before we started with my new songs, I wanted to say a big thank you to my sweet Marinette who design this wondefull outfit just for me...»

Marinette smiled shyly, maybe she should'nt have said yes to Chat Noir... Maybe she should have stayed home...

 

* * *

 

It wasn't easy to fool Chat Noir... And Marinette was someone he found easy to read... She was sad about something, and he didn't like to see her sad... He was going to make sure she had the time of her life... She will not regret her decision to be here with him, he will make sure she forgets Chloé, Bob Ross and all the wealthy girls who were looking angrily at her, jealous of her talent, her friendship with Jagged Stone... and her date with him...

Chat Noir had seen Luka with some others musicians. The young man was a little celebrity amongst the parisian scene. After the little success he got with Kitty Section, Jagged choose him to help write his new album. He was wearing the caticorn outfit Marinette made for Bob Ross' contest, years ago...

Chat decided that Luka was going to help him achieve his goal. Luka was one of Marinette's best friends (maybe more, but Chat didn't want to think about it...), and he was a fun guy to be around. The Mission 'Mari's best night ever' has just started...

 

* * *

 

Chat was looking at Marinette. She was dancing with Zachary, and he didn't like it... He knew he was supposed to be happy for her, she was smiling, she was enjoying herself with a friend... But something was off... When she was dancing with Luka, earlier, there was no problem... Well, almost... He wasn't jealous... Was he? Nop, no, he wasn't jealous, he just wanted to make sure Mari was with a good guy... And he didn't know why, but he was sure that Zachary wasn't a good guy... Something about Zak with Mari made him internally hiss...

«You don't like him either, do you?»

Chat Noir jumped. Jagged Stone was just behind him, a glass in his hand, looking at the brown haired boy dancing with his 'Sweet Mari'.

«I... huh...»

«I saw you stared at him... I understand, you know. That Zachary guy, he isn't a good guy for our sweet Mari... Luka, he, is a good match for her, sensitive, creative,... But this one, he is a creepy weirdo...»

«I must say, I'd rather see her dancing with Luka...»

«Do us a favor, keep an eye on that wolf...»

Chat Noir smiled... Jagged just put words on what was bothering him... 'Wolf' was Jagged's metaphor for the young predator men. He dropped the smile when he realised that Marinette being hunted by Zak displeased him a lot...

«I'll keep an eye on her...»

«Yeah, well, for the record, I've seen you stared at her too... Were-Tom won't be a problem for you if you break her heart again... I'll make a meal of your genitals for my Fang...»

Jagged winked and got away, leaving a disturbed Chat Noir behind...

 

* * *

 

The rest of the Mascarade was filled with Marinette's laugh. But it went in a blur and the party has to end... Chat Noir was dropping his Princess on her balcony late at night.

«I had a wonderful night, Chat Noir, thank you.»

Chat Noir smiled.

«I knew it was the right way to do things: InChatGraming before asking...»

Marinette blushed.

«Please, don't do it again, I mean, I could already had a date for the Mascarade or another place to be tonight...»

Marinette delicately took off Chat's leather bracelet and gave it back to her friend. She also gave him back the mask...

«Next time, ask me out a more traditional way, no need to InChatGram our date...»

He took the bracelet and the mask and smirked, locking eyes with her.

«Oooooooh Princess, next time?»

He winked and Marinette blushed harder, elbowing him...

«Chaaaaaaaat»

«I'm joking Princess. Thank you, I had a wonderful night too.»

«Good night, Chat.»

«Good night, Princess...»

 

* * *

 

Marinette was cleansing her make up. She really had a good time tonight... But something was bothering her... One of the girls at the Mascarade was the one Adrien like... She shook her head, and proceed with her bed rituals, putting on her pajamas. She was about to go to bed when her phone chimed with a notification from the 'Dupont NewsBlog'.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir entered his bedroom throught the window, as usual...

He had a wonderful time with his Princess, even if for a moment he had been a bit sad, thinking that Ladybug was somewhere with a date... He had thought about looking for her, but he respected Marinette to much to do something like that...

He detransformed and headed to the bathroom, before going to bed. He was putting on his pajama pants when his phone chimed with a notification from the 'Dupont NewsBlog'

 

* * *

 

 **Exclusive Interview of Jagged Stone** _by Zachary Cochey_ (@Zakaddy)

 

> _«Mr Stone, thank you very much for your time. We are tonight at Le Grand Paris, at the beginning of your Mascarade.»_
> 
> _«You're welcome, I can't say no to my sweet Mari, thank her...»_
> 
> _«Dear Onlookers, Mr Stone is talking about Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chat Noir's date tonight. Mr Stone, you advertised during lunch that you were going to sing some pieces of your next album tonight. I was thinking: with Marinette, your designer, who made your outfit and designed the album cover, Juleka Couffaine, your co-writer's younger sister, and Lila Rossi, your muse, this album has a lot to do with our school, why don't you come over for the Summer Music Fest?»_
> 
> _«Ho, hum, I didn't think about it... That would be a nice idea, I have to talk to Bob about it. But I must ask, who is Lila Rossi? I know Juleka and Mari, but I don't know this Lila...»_
> 
> _«Hum, Lila Rossi, the girl who save your kitten, you wrote ' **Sweet Little Sister** ' for her.»_
> 
> _«Oh, you're a jester, right? I never had a kitten, and I wrote ' **Sweet Little Sister '** for Marinette...»_
> 
> _«I, I don't understand, Lila told us that you wrote several songs for her...»_
> 
> _«Your friend Lila just bragged, it happen a lot you know, people pretending to know me,... Hey, I'm going to give you an exclusive: I'm inspired by four women, and I'm writing only for them... The first one is my number one fan, my dear and beloved mother, then, there is my Penny, my Muse from the beginning, my sweet Mari,the little sister I never had and at last, there is Ladybug, who saved me several times with Chat Noir... If you want to be pernickety you can add Juleka, because I was writing ' **Be careful** ' with her brother and Luka has his own sis' in mind... And that's all.»_
> 
> _«Thanks for this exclusive Mr Stone...»_
> 
> _«You're welcome. I think I'm going to follow your advice about the Summer Music Fest at your school, would be nice...»_
> 
> _«You said you wrote ' **Be careful** ' with Luka for Marinette and Juleka, it's an old brother to little sister message song?»_
> 
> _«Yes, the album's title is ' **Mascarade** ', a lot of songs talk about the mask we wear everyday. ' **Be careful** ' is about a brother who warns his sister off the young wolves around her... I have eyes... I know my little Dove is out of childhood, she is already a beautiful young woman. And so is Juleka. Luka and I just wanted to tell all the young women out there to be careful, to avoid being alone at night, to trust their brothers.»_
> 
> _«You're a sentimental ' **Rock Giant** '...»_
> 
> _«You can say it like that if you want... I'm sorry, I have to cut this short, it's time to open the ball.»_
> 
> _«Than you again for the time you spend with us Mr Stone... Have a nice evening.»_
> 
>  

 


	14. Post Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir has a problem with Zak...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during April 2017

Jagged Stone's interview changed a lot of things...

Lila lost all of her supports... Really ALL of them... Even his father didn't ask of Adrien to hang out with her anymore...

Alya was looking for a way back to Marinette's side, but things were still really weird between the two girls... Something precious has been broken, and it was very difficult to fix it now...

Zachary was closer to a lot of students from Première, and spent more time with them than his Terminale classmates... It annoyed Adrien a lot to see how easily he mingled with his classmates, especially with Marinette... And he knew he wasn't the only one upset by the situation. Luka must have talked to Juleka, as the young girl was avoiding the 'wolf', clearly despising him...

How was he going to explain to Mari that something was off with 'Zak'..?

_She will never listen to me, we are not that close, even if things are better with her and she trust me as a very good friend, it's not enough..._

But, she trusted Chat Noir a lot more, she said he was her best guy friend, a title he stole under Nino's noze...

_Tonight, I'm going to talk to my Princess..._

Adrien then concentrated on the day lessons...

 

* * *

 

Chat graciously landed on Marinette's balcony and knocked at the skylight.

«Come in, Chat Noir...»

The young hero get down in his friend's bedroom. She seemed so tired...

«Are you alright Princess? Some trouble to get your beauty sleep?»

Marinette made a small smile.

«No, no, I'm okay, it's just that I have to be very aware all day at school... Lila has nothing left to loose, and, well, let's just say that I'm her favorite target. Everytime no one is looking, she has a little something for me: making me trip with her foot, josting me in the stairs, shoving me in the walls... I'm avoiding crashing most of the time but this is exhausting...»

«Wow, Princess, you need to report it!»

«Yeah, without evidence, thanks, I've been there before, she'll get bored... or caught... Did you come just to check on me, or did you have trouble with something? Need a hug?»

Chat Noir smiled.

«I think you're the one who needs a hug, now, and even more after I'm done talking...»

«Oh... A serious talk... Well, I'm going to make hot chocolate and a plate of pastries leftovers...»

Marinette went through her trapdoor to the kitchen...

 

* * *

 

Marinette came back in her room with a tray filled with sweets and two mugs of hot chocolate.

She set the tray on her desk, as usual when she was having visits from her Kitty Cat. She turned towards him, smiling, he was sitting on her chaise lounge... He started to fade away...

«CHAT NOIR!!!»

He looked at her, speechless, frowning, before totally disappearing...

« **CHAT!** »

«I'm alright Princess, no need to wake up your parents...»

Marinette turned towards Chat Noir's voice, coming through her skylight... The hero was entering in her room, again...

«Chat, you were there, and then you were gone, now, you're back over there... I... This...»

«Calm down Princess.»

«No, no, no, he was here, and you're there, you may be an Akuma!!»

Marinette took her sewing scissors and pointed them towards the newly arrived 'Chat Noir'.

«Where is the REAL Chat Noir?!?»

The 'fake' Chat Noir shook his head.

«I'm the real Chat Noir, but I'm not the Chat Noir of your time, I'm the one from your future... 'Your' Chat Noir is fighting an Akuma with 'my' Ladybug. I've been hit by a beam that made travel in time...»

Marinette's eyes widened in surprise...

«How am I suppose to be sure you're the real one? I mean, this doesn't make sense, when Timebreaker-Alix traveled back in time, there was two Alix, and two Ladybug, why aren't you two Chat Noir here?»

She was still watchfull, ready to pounce with her scissors... Chat Noir smiled.

«Princess, all akumas are different, Listen, I can prove that I'm Chat Noir...»

«Oh? Really?»

 

* * *

 

Marinette was ready to defend herself with her scissors. Chat Noir wondered for a moment: should he tell her he knew she was Ladybug? Nah, knowing her, she was going to freak out, to loose sleep, to wonder when did it happen, and so on... He can't do that to her... He has other way to prove he was himself... He took a moment to think, remembering more accurately when he was... The Mascarade already happened, but Lila was still at Françoise Dupont, and so was Zak...

«You embroidered a leather wristband for my birthday, I was wearing it when I got hit, so close your eyes while I detransform, and I'll show you...»

«I'm not going to close my eyes... No way!»

He was smiling, she was still wary, but she lowered the scissors...

«Ok, hum,... your favorite color is pink, you're Jagged Stone's personal designer, and you're like a little sister to him...»

«Everybody can have access to these informations...»

Chat Noir winked.

«I'm your favorite pet, your cookies are the best in Paris according to my kwami, you're in love with Adrien Agreste, and 2 months ago, Master Fu made a huge mistake, his lab exploded and I was hurt. You took care of me for a week, you cleaned me, feed me, healed my wounds... And I'll be forever gratefull for this...»

Marinette blushed, and smiled... They were the only ones, with Master Fu, who knew about that. He did it, he convinced her...

«Okay, hum, when do you come from?»

«A year and a half, something like that if I remember well...»

Marinette smiled. How did he miss for so long that this was his Lady's smile...

«And how are things a year and a half from now?»

Chat Noir smiled. He can't told her to much, but he wanted to say a little truth...

«Adrien is your boyfriend, you're just to cute together, and Ladybug finally fell for me, Alya was thrilled»

Marinette burst out laughing under Chat's amused smile...

«In your dreams Kitty»

_If you knew Princess, if you knew..._

«I can't tell you to much, you know, timeline preservation, and blablabla...»

Marinette took a sip of her hot chocolate, and hummed...

«If we can't talk about the future, then you can tell me why you came here tonight? If you remember?»

Chat Noir frowned... He wasn't supposed to tell her to much about that either... But he had to warn her...

«I came to talk about Zachary Cochey...»

«Oh, are you jealous, Kitty?»

She winked.

«There is nothing to be scared of, Zak is a just a friend, nothing romantic, and the best friend spot is yours, you know that...»

She blushed lightly and he found it adorable...

«Mari, Zak isn't a good guy... There is something about him... I can't explain it, I can't say to much about it, and the me from your time won't know HOW to explain it, but Adrien, Jagged and Luka noticed it too... Please, be careful, don't stay alone with him...»

«Woaow, you're really serious about it...»

«I'm... hu, we have to switch the topic again, I'm sorry, I should'nt have said so much, but please, when your Chat Noir will come back, listen to him, trust him, it really is important. Trust his instinct, okay? He knows in his gut that something is off with Zak, please trust him...»

Marinette sighed and took his hand, squeezing it...

«Pinky swear... Now, tell me, do you remember the exam topics of the Bac?»

«Princess!!»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir watched as the Miraculous Ladybug cure passes through him, he was back in his Princess' room... Well, he'll remember that Akuma!

«Chat, you're back!»

Marinette jumped in his arms, she was relieved to see him back.

«Did you miss me Princess? How long was I away?

«A little less than an hour... And yes and no... The you from the future stayed here with me...»

«Am I still the cat's meow in the future?»

He wiggled his brows... Marinette elbowed him...

«Chaaaaaaat!!»

He snickered...

«Future You, he said that you wanted to talk about Zachary and that I should listen to you... Trust your instinct...»

Chat Noir stiffened... This was going to be... complicated...

«Ah, maybe you should make more hot chocolate Princess...»

 


	15. Villain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila is at it again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during May 2017

Marinette climbed on her balcony. Her plants needed watering. Spring was doing wonders on her flowers and the young woman was happy to see all the blossoms in the pots. The aromatic plants were in need of a little cut, so she took the little scissors she kept for this purpose and started a little harvest of thyme and basil... She let her mind wander... The day at school has been hard, again... She sighed...

«A penny for your thoughts Princesse...»

Startled, Marinette took her bottle and turn around, spraying her attacker...

«Hey stop, stop, Mari, it's me!!»

Marinette lower her hand and drop the bottle near her plant pots, sheepishly...

«Oh, Chat, I'm so sorry, I'm a little tense...»

«A little? Please, you're as tense as a guitare string!!»

She sighed...

«Is it... Is it because of today's Akuma?»

Chat Noir shortened the distance between them, to hug her, but stopped abruptly.

«Princesse, what's this huge bruise on your elbow?»

«Oh,... hum, according to Lila it is a failed _Miraculous Cure_.. She says that's why I'm still hurt...»

Chat Noir frowned... Lila's been akumatised today, and after Ladybug's and Chat Noir's rescue, she said that Marinette had purposefully upseted her...

«What  _ **really**_ happened, Princess?»

The young hero delicatelly took Marinette's arm, and she gritted her teeth, in pain... Chat Noir frowned again, concerned...

«Princess, your elbow has been dislocated, can you explain how you put it back on your own, and why did you decided that it was a good idea to skip the hospital!! Fuck, can you tell me what really happened today?»

_No because Tikki helped me put it back, I didn't have time to go to the hospital, I had an Akuma to find and purify, and, well, I can explain partly..._

«I don't really know, I just forced to bend it, it's not that bad you know, I'm just going to wear a sling for a few days... It really is nothing...»

Chat Noir made a face and shook his head...

«Nop, not good, you'll have to do better... And you need to see a doctor...»

Marinette blushed and tried to hide...

«Mari, you and I, we know that there is no failed _Miraculous Cure_ , so, you're going to sit confortably in your room, and I'm going to ask your Mom for something to snack on. Then, you're going to tell me all about the talk you had with Lila _**before**_ the Akuma...»

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later, Chat Noir was coming back with leftovers from the bakery and 2 mugs of hot cocoa... Sabine Cheng was a godsend and she was happy to see Chat Noir taking care of her daughter... What Marinette didn't need to know was that after Chat's little chat with her Mom, the later was now making arrangement for a little trip to the nearest Emergencies Services...

Chat Noir put the tray on the desk and sitted next to Marinette on the chaise lounge. He locked eyes with her, waiting for her to talk in a deafening silence...

Chat Noir wasn't dumb, he knew that his Princess being still hurt means it wasn't the Akuma that was responsible, but Lila... Lila with full consciousness of her acts, Lila willingly hurted his sweet little Mari...

«My... my elbow was dislocated when I tried to stop my fall in the stairs... Lila... Lila pushed me...»

Chat Noir took a deep breath.

«And then she used the Akuma to clear herself...»

Marinette locked eyes with his. Her bluebell eyes were full of tears...

«It was my fault, Chat,... I was hurt, but I was also angry, so angry at her... I attracked an Akuma... It came for me... But Lila took it and put it on her bracelet... It was my fault Chat, Hawkmoth send an Akuma after me...»

Marinette started to cry on Chat Noir's shoulder.

«And when the _Miraculous Cure_ fixed everything, she said you upset her and that you weren't healed because you were mean to her...»

«Yes...»

Chat Noir sighed and hugged his Princess, delicatly, gently rocking her...

«I don't understand, Princess, how can they still believe her... I mean, they know now, after the Mascarade her liar tendencies were well settled...»

Marinette wipped her tears and staighened herself.

«They must think that she learned her lesson... That she's not lying anymore... But it really is worse... You know, sometimes I think, hu, if we hadn't seen Hawkmoth and Volpina working together on Hero Day, I mean, I have imagined it could be her...»

«I can't say you're wrong, Princess, I agree with you, she would make a dangerous super-vilain, smart and devious... We're lucky she doesn't have a Miraculous... And I must say, with the new piece of information you gave me, she must have intercept Akumas not meant for her before, she's been akumatise too many times... But, you don't need to blame yourself, ok? Lila made her own choice, lying, taking Akumas... You can't blame yourself for her choices...»

Marinette noded and snuggled in Chat Noir's side.

«Stay away from her, Princess, ok, Lila doesn't have a Miraculous, but she is very good at annoying and upseting people... I won't be surprise if I am told that she willingly did some of the things she did when Akumatised, you know, consciously, unlike the real victims, I mean, if she is catching Akumas send to other people, maybe she's more of a sidekick than a victim now... Be careful ok?»

«This is so horrible... You know, thinking that someone is willingly helping Hawkmoth... Mayura, she have a history with him, she have the same goal, but Lila... She can see all the people hurt, not physically thanks to the _Miraculous Cure_ , but emotionnally... This is awfull, I just can't understand how and why she is doing it... It's like lying, she knows she will hurt people in the end, people who befriended her... It's... I don't understand»

Chat Noir sighed...

«You don't understand because you can't knowingly hurt people's feelings... If you ever do, it is always by accident, and then you feel guilty and do your best to fix things... Fix your mistakes...»

He kissed her forehead.

«Again, do not feel responsible for Lila's choices... You didn't put a knife under her throat to make her accept the Akuma... Did you?»

She sighed... They stayed like that in a comfortable silence, eating their treats and drinking their hot cocoa...

When they ended the little snack, Chat Noir gathered the dishes and headed to the kitchen...

«I'm going down, I have to tell your Mom that you're ready to go to the hospital...»

Marinette grumbled and muttered something about doing a nice pair of slippers with a traitor black cat's skinsuit...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every single time he try to make me fall, I threatened my cat, I tell him that I'm going to make a pair of slippers with his fur... 😸


	16. Angst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What hides in the shadows..?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during May 2017

Marinette was pissed with herself... She spend the evening doing a group project study session at Adrien's, with Alya and Nino, and now she was going back home alone, far to late for this to be the geatest idea...

Alya and Nino left first, when Adrien promised he would take their clumsy friend home, safe and sound...

Alas, Mr Agreste decided otherwise...

> _A few minutes earlier..._
> 
> «Adrien, where do you think you're going?»
> 
> Adrien jumped and nearly dropped Marinette's backpack, that he was carrying for her.
> 
> «Father, I'm walking Marinette home, it's pretty late already, and you'll agreed that it would be quiet rude to let her go on her own...»
> 
> «I agree, it's late, so there is no way you're going out. Your bodyguard is going to escort Miss Marinette home, and you, you're going to exercise before heading to bed. Have a good evening Miss.»
> 
> Gabriel Agreste then turned around and get back at his atelier. Nathalie Sancœur took a step forward.
> 
> «I'm going to take care of Miss Marinette, Adrien, you can go on your routine.»
> 
> Before Adrien could retort, Marinette jumped in the conversation, uncomfortable at the thought of alone time with the Gorilla or Miss Sancœur.
> 
> «I can go alone, it's not that far and the neighbourhood is pretty safe, I'll be okay on my own...»
> 
> Adrien frowned.
> 
> «Mari, there's no way I'm going to let you get home on your own, this late, with your still injuried arm... Nathalie, you'll inform Father that I went with Mari, we're going to have my bodyguard driving us.»
> 
> «Your Father will disapprove of this, Adrien,... I already told you that you can dispose.»
> 
> Before things gets too tense, Marinette took her backpack from Adrien's hands and opened the door.
> 
> «No need to disturbe anyone on my account, I can get home on my own. Have a nice evening. Adrien, I'll see you tomorrow with Nino and Alya to carry on the group project's research. Good Night»
> 
> Before anyone could argue, Marinette dashed into the early night, alone.

Looking backwards, Marinette thougth that maybe, alone time with Miss Sancœur or the Gorilla wasn't the worst that could happened tonight... She felt spied, followed, and it made her anxious... She couldn't transform to head home, Tikki wouldn't allow it. The Kwami had to summon a light armored gauntlet to protect Marinette's arm, and she wasn't going to transform Marinette unless there was an Akuma. Ladybug couldn't be seen with a cast. It had been a real nightmare to make sure Chat Noir didn't see that she was unable to move or use her arm during the only Akuma attack that occured since Lila's... Plus, if she was being followed, transforming wasn't the best thing to do right now...

She caught sight of the hooded man in a store window... Several changes of direction later, he was still there, behind her... There was only two options: she was paranoïd, or she really was being followed...

_Well, even paranoïd people are sometimes right...._

A noise behind her made her shiver, it was way too close for her liking...

She turned around and let out a surprised scream... The hooded man was, indeed, following her, and he was now trying to catch her...

 

* * *

 

Adrien slammed the door behind him, furious... He made it very clear to Nathalie that such a behaviour from his father, despite his concern for one of his best friend, wasn't acceptable anymore... She had to make sure he understand, because things like that made him wanted to go back to Master Fu's warehouse... Willingly and uninjured...

He was worried sick.

Several times already had Chat Noir seen someone following Marinette, Alya and Nino. From the rooftops, he was unable to see the hooded man's face, but he was pretty sure that the target of that stalker was his Princess. The man never went farther than the bakery. He had never followed Alya or Nino...

At first Adrien tried to persuad himself that it was just a coincidence, that one of Marinette's neighbour just happened to have the same curfew than her... But his guts were telling otherwise....

He hadn't told her, he didn't want to worried her, but now, he regretted it. Marinette was alone in the dark, injured, and she was the perfect target for her stalker right now... Adrien wasn't going to let anything happen to his Princess. He locked his bedroom door.

«Plagg, claws out!!»

 

Hastily, Chat Noir climbed on the roof and started to follow his Princess's favorite path to walk home. Eyes on the sidewalk below him, he was looking for a familiar pink backpack, but he saw the hooded figure before he found his Princess... He sped up, and caught up with the stalker just when Marinette let out a surprised scream. She was facing her assailant, the man was less than five steps behind her, reaching for her arm... Chat jumped and landed right between them, taking a protecting stance in front of his Princess. Startled, the man turned around and ran away.

Chat Noir was about to follow him, but first he look behind him to make sure Marinette was alright...

She was not... Chasing after the stalker wasn't a priority anymore,...

Marinette was hyperventilating, fear in her eyes... She was freaking out and she needed him. Chat Noir caught her before she fell on the ground, her knees giving up under her.

«Princess, you're safe now, I'm here, breath, Mari, breath...»

Slowly, she managed to even her breathing, and stand on still shaking legs...

«Chat Noir, thank god you were out tonight... I've been lucky you patrol in the area.»

_Lucky... yeah, something like that..._

«Princess, what the hell were you doing out this late, all alone?»

«Good question... May I have a little sweet something to comfort me before I answer? I'm going to call my Dad, ask him to pick me up... You'll come after your patrol for some treats and a hot chocolate..?»

Chat Noir sighed...

«Don't. I'm going to take you back home.»

Before Marinette could say anything, Chat Noir swung her backpack on his shoulder and scooped her up bridal style, jumping on the nearest rooftop. He ran, taking his Princess to the safe haven her home was. He was well aware of the stalker's eyes he could feel on them, even if he was unable to see him...

 

* * *

 

Marinette saw her balcony and let out a relieved sigh, but Chat Noir didn't leave her on it, he climbed down to the main entrance of the building.

«Princess, can you open for us? I want to talk to your parents»

Marinette frowned. She wasn't a child anymore!

«I don't want to worried them... But I have to make sure you won't forget to tell them what happened and tell them that the Agreste kid let you walk back alone so late...»

«CHAT!!»

Marinette chastised him, batting his arm.

«Adrien didn't do antything wrong, he wanted to walk me back, I'm the one who decided to get home alone... And how do you know I was at Adrien's place?»

«I saw you going out of the Mansion, I wanted to suprised you on the way, but then, I saw the hooded man and sped things up...»

Marinette sighed... She's been unwise... Neither Adrien, nor Mr Agreste could be blame on her behaviour...

«Come in Chat, my parents would like to thank you, and I know you like chocolat croissants...»

She opened the front door and let Chat Noir in.

«But I'll have you know that Adrien really wanted to walk me back, plus, Nino and Alya could have waited for me... And give me my bag back, pink isn't your colour...»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir slipped in his room...

He thought again about what happened earlier... It was a close call, and he didn't like it... He have to find that stalker before the said jerk found a way to hurt his Princess...

Because of the dim light Marinette was unable to see the man's face. Chat Noir didn't want to worried her, so he didn't told her it wasn't the first time the hooded figure had been following her, but he managed to slip a word to Tom. The baker was stunned, then angry... He didn't like the idea of his beloved daughter being hunted at night by a stalker.. He had thanked Chat Noir, and promise he'll make sure Mari will never have to go back home alone anymore...

Adrien sighed and headed to the bathroom, he was in great need of a shower...

 


	17. Found - Lilanescente part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila wanted Adrien to take care of her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during June 2017.

Alya knew what happened to Marinette, which means, all the school knew...

It's been a week since Chat Noir rescued Marinette from the mysterious hooded man, and her schoolmates kept asking her if she was alright,...

It annoyed her a lot, she wasn't a brittle little thing, and the more she said she was fine, the more her classmates sent one another knowing looks saying ' _she's in denial, she's still in shock_ '...

Really, it annoyed her a lot...

One of the great side effect of the attempted assault was that her relationship with Alya seemed to be stronger than ever. Marinette had forgiven her all the Lila related stuff, and Alya was more than happy to care for Marinette at school... Which was a bit annoying too...

Adrien was feeling guilty... He kept filching her backpack, carrying it everywhere for her.

He walked her to school every morning and back home every evening. All their group study session ended the same way: the guys walked Marinette home, then Alya, and at last the Gorilla came picking Adrien up at Nino's...

The other guys at school decided that no damsel was to be left alone to head back home. Maybe the stalker was looking for another victim, and, well, even Chloé or Lila didn't deserve that...

 

* * *

 

Lila was not happy with the group arrangements...

First, she's been unable to change her study group.

Mr Damoclès was still on edge because of the 'ice rink incident', and he made sure that Miss Bustier reminded Lila every day that he needed her school records from Achu, and a letter from her mother explaining her foreign trip.

It was a bit difficult for Lila to just made up another lie in order to change group when all Miss Bustier wanted to hear was ' _yes, I got everything Mr Damoclès asked for_ '.

So Lila was stuck with Max and Alix. They always made sure she got home safe but she wanted Adrien to walk her home... Her, not Marinette...

She always made sure to ask him, but everyday he said he had better things to do and then walk Marinette to the bakery...

Second, Lila wanted to try to attack Marinette again... But it was difficult, Marinette was always surrounded by friends, with her injured arm and the jerk following her the other night, she was the center of all school attention... She was being popular again, and Lila hated that...

_No... I hate Marinette..._

 

* * *

 

Two times already had Zachary made sure Marinette avoided Lila's bag, ' _accidentally fallen in the way_ ' to make her fall in the stairs...

Marinette was worried, and so was Tikki... Lila was loosing it, she was angrier than ever and the threat of an Akuma made them both nervous...

Oh, how they wish they were wrong...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir was climbing on the roof, looking for Marinette. He had to find her before Lila... Well, before **Lilanescente**...

Their classmate had thrown a temper tantrum after Adrien had refuse, again, to walk her home... It didn't took long for an Akuma to show up.

Adrien entrusted Marinette with Alya, in order to go transform, but he was a bit worried...

The young journalist made a routine to go in front of the danger just for a good footage of Ladybug and Chat Noir...

 

* * *

 

 

Marinette was in trouble... She had to find a way to hide and transform...

But first, she need to get out of the school ground and 'loose' Alya...

Her best chance was the bakery. Once she was there 'safe', Alya will fly away to record the Akuma attack and she'll be free to transform and come back as Ladybug...

But right now, they need to pass **Lilanescente**...

Lila's new akumatized version was the deviant child of Ursula, the little mermaid's witch, and Poison Ivy... She was using a bunch of tentacles-liana to catch the students. Then she was kissing them on the lips (Hell, if another proof was needed that Lila didn't give a shit about consent and personnal space...), apparently sucking their souls out, and blowing said souls into a kind of wineskin made of leaves. At last, she was leaving the bodies behind her, like she couldn't care less...

The only reason Marinette wasn't totally freaking out about the 'bodies' was because they were still breathing... They weren't dead, Ladybug can cure them...

The problem was, she was trapped with Alya under the stairs, and **Lilanescente** was obviously looking for her.

«MARINETTE!!!!!! YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME, I'M GOING TO FIND YOU, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, SHOW YOURSELF, COME HERE AND CONFRONT ME!!!»

Alya clenched her teeth.

«We're not going to make it out without being seen... We need to run, and then, once we're out of school, you run and I'll keep her distracted...»

«Alya, I can't let you do that...»

«Mari, listen, we don't know what she's going to do once she got you, we can't have her hurt your body, and I highly doubt she'll just leave it behind unharmed like the others... She can't find you...»

Alya was right... And Marinette hated it, like she hated each and every time she had to leave friends behind because she needs to save the day.... Ladybug was needed... Chat Noir might ask questions if Tikki was to fight alone again... And Hawkmoth might notice it too...

«We go in 3, 2,...»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir landed on the school roof, again... He saw Marinette and Alya under the stairs, about to run away... Well, maybe they can use the diversion... He can use Cataclysm on the 'tentaclianas' again. He already had to feed Plagg once, he had bumped in **Lilanescente** right out of the locker room... She had cut the cataclysmed lianas to prevent the cataclysm to infect her whole body, but she seemed to have re-growned them...

«Well well, the weed is already back... I shouldn't be surprised, Lie-la always find a way to avail people...»

Behind Lilanescente, he could see Alya and Marinette running out of the school...

_Good Job Agreste..._

 

* * *

 

Marinette was breathless, but she was out of the school... She was heading to the bakery whith Alya when a dark mass appear just in front of her. She was unable to dodge it...

«Ouch!»

She just collided with Zachary...

«Zak!! You couldn't pop at a better moment! You take Mari to her parents at the bakery, I need a good footage for the blogs!!»

Before Marinette could try to stop her, Alya turned around, running back to the school.

 

* * *

 

Quickly, Chat Noir found himself in a very difficult situation... The tentacles-liana of the Akuma were really strong, and, well, let's just say he was outnumbered...

«CATACLYSM!!»

 

* * *

 

 

Alya watched as Chat Noir landed on all fours and ran out of Lilanescente view. He needed to feed his kwami. He sacrified one of his transformation to allow her to put Marinette out of danger... Now was her turn to delay **Lilanescente**...

 

* * *

 

Marinette was opening the bakery's door when she heard Alya's painfull scream... She turned around to go help her friend but Zak pushed her inside, hiding with her and closing the door behind them.

«Hurry, everybody hide, an Akuma is after Marinette!!»

Sabine started to guide the customers in the back, like she always did when an Akuma was too close to the bakery (and way to often for her liking).

Marinette was watching the school from the glass door, hiding, and Zak was keeping his eyes on her... She needed to escape to transform...

«Zak, go in the back shop with my mum, I'll follow you...»

«Mari, there's no way I'm going to leave you here... I know you want to go help Alya and the others, but she's looking for you, it's too dangerous,...»

**Lilanescente** went out of the school, Alya's body in her lianas... She looked at the bakery and a wicked grin split on her face... She abandonned Alya's body without any consideration for her poor classmate, and went to the bakery.

«Hurry!!»

Zak pulled Marinette behind the counter. Both of them hold their breath as the monstrous Lila was scanning the shop throught the windows.

It seemed like several minutes had passed, Marinette let out a sigh of relief when the nearest window exploded.

A tentacule-liana lift up the counter and Lilanescente's nasty look was on them.

«Found you, Marinette!»

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lianescente is a french word. It is used to described things that looks like lianas. Lilanescente is a made up word using Lianescente and Lila...


	18. Ghosts - Lilanescente part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during June 2017.

Chat Noir was hurrying out of the locker room. The school was silent, all students who weren't caught by **Lilanescente** had run away...

He had heard Alya's scream while Plagg was eating. Never has he seen the Kwami eat so fast...

Chat Noir rushed out of the school. Alya laid there, on the ground, abandonned by a careless **Lilanescente** , who was turning her back to the hero.

She was scouring Marinette's parents' bakery...

Chat Noir was running towards the Akuma when he heard Marinette screaming with pain. The young woman was captured in the tentacles and **Lilanescente** was about to give his Princess that soul-sucking kiss of hers...

« **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO** »

Chat Noir scrambled toward **Lilanescente** , but she was adamant not to loose her prize. While delaying Chat Noir with the other tentacules, she started to kiss Marinette, sucking her soul, cautiously tightening her grip on her classmate and delightfully listening the sound of breaking bones. She hadn't done it to anyone, she was frighteningly enjoying the way she was hurting Marinette.

« **CATACLYSM!!!!** »

Chat Noir striked the liana gripping his Princess. The liana desintegrated. **Lilanescente** screamed, with pain and anger, and despite all her efforts, was unable to keep Marinettte's soul in her mouth. The little bubble of light escaped while **Lilanescente** cut her desintegrating tentacle.

 

* * *

 

Marinette could feel the pain... She could feel her bones, crushed by **Lilanescente** , breaking... She was struggling to escape, as much as she could, but there was too much pain... Suddenly, Lila's lips were on hers,... Marinette wanted to throw up, and started to feel her soul getting away from her...

_This... This can't be the end..._

And then, just like that, she was free, there was no more pain...

_Am I... dead..?_

She looked around her and saw Chat Noir hitting **Lilanescente** 's wineskin with his baton. three little bubbles of light escaped...

_Three souls..._

**Lilanescente** screamed, she screamed like that loss was hurting her a lot... The Akuma then fled away, her cataclysmed lianas were already re-growing...

Chat Noir rushed to a body, on the floor... A broken body... Marinette suddenly realised that it was _her_ body...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir delicately held his Princess in his arms... She was still breathing, but it was painfully laborious... There definitely were broken ribs...

«Oh God, Princess...»

«MARIIIIIIIII!!!!!!»

Tom Dupain was rushing out of the scambled bakery. He bumped without any consideration in a dumbstruck Zak...

He then delicately took his daugther from Chat Noir's arms...

«I'm here, Dad, I'm okay, well, I think...»

Chat Noir froze. A few centimeters above the floor, was floatting a ghostly Marinette. She seemed to be out of an old chinese engraving... She was wearing a beautful pink pien-fu, and her greyish hair were up in two twin little 'Chun-Li' buns. She looked pale, so pale she seemed to be tenuous... And she was, her body was in great need of a doctor.

«Mister Dupain, I need you to call the 112, the students without their souls need care, and Mari's broken ribs must be taken care of too. I'm going to find that Akuma and pray for Ladybug to come quickly to purify it...»

Holding his daughter on his chest, Tom Dupain pulled out his phone and made the call.

«Chat Noir, we can help you...»

The young hero turn towards Ghost-Mari. Alya, Nathaniel and Alix, who where the three bubbles of light evading **Lilanescente** 's grip, were now floatting next to Ghost-Mari.

Ghost-Alya was wearing a traditionnal outfit from Martinique, Ghost-Alix was a steampunk roller-derby girl in black and gold, and Ghost-Nath was his nice comic-book version of the Evillustrator... They were all so pale... But not as pale as Marinette...

«I don't really see how...»

Chat Noir sighed.

«Well, she can't hurt us more, but we can help you hunt her, we can follow her, we can tell you what she is doing while you're hiding...»

Ghost-Alix nodded.

«Marinette's right...»

«Wait for the ambulance, and Ladybug. We are going to search for that Lila-bitch and come back here in 10 minutes to report on what we know.»

Ghost-Alya, Ghost-Alix and Ghost-Mari approved Ghost-Nath's plan and before Chat Noir could stop them, the four ghosts splited and went to find **Lilanescente**...

 

* * *

 

When she was out of sight of the others, Marinette started to look for Tikki...

The kwami had been discretly following her and showed up quickly.

«Marinette, I'm so sorry, how are you?»

«I'm okay, but sometimes, I can feel the pain in my body, it is,... intense... She hurted me badly...»

«I can see it, you're fading each time you feel the pain... I'm a lot worried, we must hurry. Your body is really weak right now, you need the _Miraculous cure_ more than anyone. As Ladybug isn't going to show up, I'm going to talk to Chat Noir, do you have an explanation in mind or do you want me to find something out?»

«Huh,... Tell him I'm on a school trip for the day and I left you with Master Fu..?»

«Okay, I'm going, but you, be carefull, we don't know if **Lilanescente** has other powers she can use on you, ghosts...»

«No, but we know how much of a vilain Lila is... Tikki, she really just tried to kill me!»

«I know, Marinette, I know...»

Tikki made a small smile a flew back to the bakery.

Marinette started to look for **Lilanescente**...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir used the Dupain-Cheng appartment to feed his kwami. He then guided the rescue team through the school, helping them find the 27 victims of **Lilanescente** 's kiss. Once that was done, he got back to Marinette's body. He was coming out of Françoise Dupont when a red kwami with black dots collided with his cheek...

Tikki shook her head.

«Chat Noir! Ladybug is out of town on a school trip, she left me with Master Fu. Wayzz could feel the Akuma, so I flew straight to you!»

Chat Noir frowned.

«Ladybug left Paris? Without telling me?»

«That's just a school trip, and she really hoped it would be an Akuma-free day...»

Chat Noir sighed...

«Oki, we're going to make this work together,... Hide in my hairs...»

Tikki did. The hero was questionning the doctor about Marinette's wound when Ghost-Alya showed up.

«I found her, **Lilanescente** is near the Eiffel Tower, screaming that she wanted Adrien Agreste to walk her home...»

Ghost-Alix, Ghost-Nath and Ghost-Mari were just behind her...

«Oh, since she's asking so nicely...»

The sarcasm in Alix's voice was unmistakable...

Chat Noir decided to use the hate Lila was feeling towards Marinette as a bait...

«Okay, I think the Akuma is the wineskin, I need to cataclysmed it. Mari, do you think you can pestering her, to get all her attention? Alya could back you up, Alix and Nath, you're going to be my eyes while I'll progress out of her view.»

«Aren't we waiting for Ladybug?»

«No, she's not coming, but I have something to purify the Akuma without her...»

Alix nodded. Chat Noir knew Melifae worked with Tikki once,...

«So long for 'saving her best friend'...»

«Oh, because you still believed that?»

Ghost-Mari could have killed her friend with just one look... Then the young designer Ghost headed towards the Eiffel Tower... Ghost-Alya followed suit.

«It was irony Mari, you know, since she's a liar, it was for emphasis...»

Chat Noir grinned at their antics...

«Nathaniel, you go first, as soon as the girls get **Lilanescente** 's attention, you semaphore us...»

 

* * *

 

Marinette was puurrrfection!! She was like a banshee following **Lilanescente** around, crying her pain and sorrow after all Lila did to her, reporting the lies, the threats, the tantrums, and all her wicked ways...

Busy defending herself in front of Paris' Media and the few policemen around, **Lilanescente** totally missed out Chat Noir sneaking up on her, guided by Alix and Nath, and snatching the wineskin.

He then flew away, finding a secluded spot on a roof, where he cataclysmed the wineskin, and leave the rest to Tikki...

The _Miraculous Cure_ passed throught, bringing back all the ghosts and souls back to their bodies.

Chat Noir was left with Lila's purse in his hands... He get back to the Eiffel Tower and throwned the purse at his classmate's feet.

«I think this belongs to you...»

He then turned his back to her and took his baton. His Miraculous biped, he'll have to feed Plagg before seeing Marinette. He wanted to see how his Princess was doing... And his other schoolmates too...

«Chat Noir!! Could you escort me back to Françoise Dupont?»

Lila was whining, eyes watering in one of her great act... But said eyes were also shining with concealed hatred... She was not sorry, she was remorseless, she hated him, Ladybug, and Marinette... And there she was, trying to have the attention she craves by being recorded in his arms, like a damsel in distress... Likely in order to make up another lie of hers...

«You're not injured, you can go back on your own... I suggest you get back home...»

Lila made her small voice...

«But, there's a stalker in the neighbourhood, he attacked Marinette, I don't want him to find me alone...»

Chat Noir turned towards one of the police officer.

«Could you please take Miss Rossi back home? Ladybug and I have real victims to take care of...»

If a look could kill, Chat Noir would have lost one of his lives on the spot...

 

* * *

 

Marinette was slowly waking up... She was lying on a stretcher, surrounded by schoolmates from Françoise Dupont... Everdybody was waking up.

_Chat Noir and Tikki made it..._

Her parents were giving snacks and drinks to the rescue teams and the young victims when Chat Noir dropped by.

«Princess, are you okay?»

Marinette beamed at him...

«Hey, I'm alright Chat Noir, Nath and Alix too by the way, thanks for your concern...»

From her own stretcher, Alya was teasing the young hero... His ears dropped in shame, but just then he was engulfed in one of those big collective hugs Marinette initiated...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir ate a croissant to indulge Tom, and then took his leave. He was worried. Lila's behaviour towards Marinette was more and more aggressive... And his gutts told him it was only the beginning...

 


	19. Rooftop Save

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir needs a hug...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during July 2017.

Adrien sighed... He looked on his left, then on his right, all the guests were looking at the fireworks launched from the Eiffel Tower.

It was the end of the annual 14th of July Grand Paris' ball, and Adrien was feeling really disgusted... He had spend the evening pleasing a really intrusive Chloé. He wanted to go to the _Liberty_ , listening to Kitty Section's concert, with Nino, Alya,... Marinette...

His solace had been the one dance Kagami manage to buy at the Charity sell. The young japanese woman, despite the love she wasn't hiding anymore, was always very careful to respect his personnal space. This was something he was really chering. At events like this, it always seemed that women thought he was just a piece of meat they were allowed to touch all the ways they wanted, starting with Chloé and Lila (the later a lot less since she wasn't welcome anymore in high ends events).

Adrien sighed again...

No one was paying attention to him...

He'd done his duty as a son, attending the ball with Chloé (who managed AGAIN to upset his father by wearing a _**Chenal**_ dress instead of the _**Gabriel**_ one, given for the occasion), no one could sermoned him if he vanished...

Adrien quietly moved back to the elevators of the Grand Paris' rooftop. He managed to get in without being seen.

Once inside the hotel, he sneaked into the kitchens, and hopped in the service staircase. He left the building without trouble.

Once outside, he dodged the paparazzi waiting for the guests,... And his bodyguard.

He hide in a back alley, messaged the Gorilla, then transformed and climbed on the roofs. Next stop, the Seine's docks.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir landed in the shadows near the _Liberty_... He had to wait until the end of the fireworks. His fans spotted him and were chasing him, rooftop after rooftop, and he had to hide... He didn't want to be considered like a piece of meat as Chat Noir too... He had enough of it as Adrien... He just wanted to spend some time with his friends...

Was it asking for to much?

Maybe...

He was a little late... Kitty Section's members had packed their equipment and were parting ways...

He sighed... Another missed opportunity... He was about to head back home when he heard Luka and Zak, arguing on the deck...

«I told you, I can walk her home on my own. You're home already, stay there. The bakery is on my way home, I'll walk her there safe and sound...»

«I know it's on your way home, but there's a freak out there stalking her and I want my Melody-Mari to be REALLY safe...»

«Am I supposed to understand that you don't trust me with Mari's safety?»

«You can understand whatever you want, I just don't care!»

«Calm down! The two of you!»

Anarka Couffaine was getting on the deck, quickly followed by Marinette...

«Captain, have a good night, and thank you again. Luka, I'll come next week to take your measurments, for the new stage outfits. Have a good night too.»

Marinette kissed Luka's cheek, then turned towards Zak.

«Shall we go?»

It seemed that Marinette didn't hear the argument between the two young men... Zak smirked victoriously at Luka. He then followed Marinette out of the houseboat. Chat Noir started to follow them from the roofs.

«I shouldn't let her go with him, I have to follow them...»

«There's no need, son, her dark angel is looking out for her...»

Chat Noir turned his head toward the houseboat. Anarka and Luka were staring at him. He waved at them, and resume his traking...

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir had to restraint himself from laugthing for the fifth or sixth time since they left the _Liberty_...

Marinette was unknowingly dodging each and every attempt Zak made to touch her... Taking her hand, putting his arm around her waist, he really tried hard... Again, he was trying to put his arm around her shoulder. But Marinette just bend over to catch a keyring, then helped the mother who dropped it to open her door.

Chat Noir shook his head, sneering... He was almost feeling bad for Zak. His Princess was clueless despite the outrageous flirting Zak was throwing at her...

_I must tell Tom about it, I should have recorded them..._

He was relieved to see the bakery in front of him. He headed to his Princess' balcony, his eyes still on Zak. He landed on the wall and peered at the street below. He wanted to make sure Zak wasn't going to try something more offensive...

 

* * *

 

Marinette had a really nice time at the _Liberty_. She was so glad to spend the evening with her friends, listening to the band...

_I missed Adrien though..._

The night had been akuma free so far, and this made it a little more joyfull for her.

Once at the bakery, Marinette took her keys out of her bag and turned towards Zak to wish him a good night.

The young man put both of his hands on her shoulders, and lean forward to kiss her.

She was about to turn her head for Zak to kiss her cheek when a loud ruckus came from above, startling both of them.

Quickly recovering, Marinette hurried to her door.

«I need to get in quick, the neighbour's cat must be ruining my aromatic plants!»

She opened the door then get back to Zak, kissing his cheek.

«Have a good night, Zak, thank again, I appreciate you walking me home...»

«'night Mari, see you soon...»

She entered and closed the door, missing her friend's frustrated sigh...

 

* * *

 

Marinette opened her skylight, worried... She had no clue what could have cause the ruckus, and started to think that, maybe, Hawkmoth had decided to celebrate Bastille Day his own wicked way...

She looked around her on the balcony, speechless.

At the beginning of Spring, she had hang a beautifull wall treillis, on the wall at the back of the balcony. She had hooked fairy lights and little pots with young plants in order to start a nice green wall.

The treillis was lying, broken, on her chaise lounge, the fairy lights wire holding it barely together. The pots had rolled over everywhere on the ground, most of them broken, the plants and the potting soil were scattered all around, on the chaise lounge, on the ground, on the cable reel she used as a table. During the fall of the wall treillis, her screen has been torned up, the hinges of one of the panel teared off...

Dazed, Marinette climbed on the balcony, and nearly screamed when she noticed the dark mass squirming along the wall...

«Princess, it's me, you're safe, it's me!»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir was feeling ridiculous. Hanging upside down, one of his boots trapped in one of the hooks, he must be a hell of a sight...

He was mortified.

When he saw Zak lean down to kiss his Princess, he lost his temper AND his balance...

In a desperate attempt to hold himself, he had destroyed his friend's little haven.

At last Zak was unabled to stole a kiss...

Still a bit stunned, Marinette closed the distance between her and the wall. She gently lifted Chat's head, and then supported his shoulders on hers in order to unhook his boot.

...She still wasn't saying anything...

Once released from his uncomfortable spot, Chat took a look at the balcony...

He really messed up...

Marinette, on the verge of tears, was picking up the plants, putting them in the less damaged pots... She was trying to save them...

«I... I'm so sorry Princess, I'll fix this, I swear, I'm sorry...»

«What happened?»

Chat Noir sighed... He didn't want to lie to his Princess...

«I came to the _Liberty_ , I needed... I needed to be surrounded by friends after a dull party. But I came too late, you were all getting back home... I saw you with Zak, I didn't want to interrupt, so I decided to wait for you on your balcony. I was looking down when I lost balance... And then...»

He sighed again... He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't tell the whole truth as well... He didn't want any misunderstandings with Mari. He didn't want a WereDad 2.0 incident, and he didn't want an Akumatized Marinette to fight... Never... Things needs to be crystal clear: she was his friend, he was in love with Ladybug, she was allowed to hang out with Zak even if said Zak was a jerk... He warned her about Zak before, she knew about his bad vibes...

He told the truth anyway, just not all the truth...

Marinette nodded, while resuming her tidying... The sad look on her face broke Chat Noir's heart. He started to straigthened the wall treillis...

 

* * *

 

Marinette couldn't resent Chat Noir... She was the avatar of clumsyness, she knew how guilty you can feel when you cause so much trouble... Poor Chat Noir was really upset right now, she found him in a very embarrassing position on that wall... Plus...

«You said you needed to be surrounded by friends... Something's wrong?»

Chat Noir sighed, while taking the broom...

«I had, hum, work obligations tonight, I had to wear a mask, so, I just needed to be able to be myself, with people who don't look at me like a ladder to their goals, you know...»

Marinette froze...

«You came to the _Liberty_ to be surrounded by friends...»

Chat Noir internaly screamed at the slip of his tongue...

_Fuck..._

«Most of my friends were on the docks, to see Kitty Section live, I thought I could make it there before the end of the show... Plus, I considere you a great friend, just knowing you'd be somewhere on that boat was enough to warm up my heart, 'Melody-Mari'...»

He smirked, and Marinette blushed...

«But, as I told you, I came too late, the party was over, and everybody was going back home. I was about to do the same when I spotted you with Zak... And now, you know everything...»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir stared at Marinette... She was gathering the plants she saved on her cable reel, the sad look on her face was still there... She turned towards him...

«And after my desatrous party, I had to ruin the end of your date, and destroy your haven... I'm sorry, Princess...»

Sweet blushing Marinette smiled sadly...

«It wasn't a date, Zak is just a friend... And, hum, don't worry too much over it, I mean, I know how it feels to be the clumsy destroying tornado messing up with everything... I know it was an accident, I don't want you to feel bad about it,»

Marinette closed the distance between them, embracing him in a light hug...

«Princess...»

«You need a friend, right? Stop worrying and enjoy the 10 minutes I can give you before I collapse in my bed... I'll take care of that mess later...»

Chat Noir tightened his grip on his Princess and sighed in her hair.

«As you wish, Princess...»

 

* * *

 

Ten minutes later, Chat Noir was heading back toward Agreste Mansion. He was going to rebuild his Princess' Tower, he was going to fix that haven of hers, he HAD to...


	20. Balconies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir fixed his Princess' balcony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my timeline Adrien and Marinette were born in 2000. This happens during July 2017.

Several days had passed since Bastille Day. Adrien had been busy working, but he had spend most of his breaks ordering some stuffs in order to fix his mess on Marinette's balcony. He only had to find a moment to come and set everything up...

The photographer was having a coffe while his assistant was changing the camera's batteries, so Adrien was checking his schedule under his tent. He heard two familiar voices...

_«I wish we could have slept on your balcony last night...»_

Alya and Marinette were talking on a bench, behind the hedge separating Adrien's tent from the park...

_«I know, but I've been so busy with the bakery and my commissions that I barely had time to sleep lately, so I didn't tidy the balcony... There's still wood shards from the treillis and plant soil scathered everywhere...»_

_«Hu... Did you found out where that filthy cat came from?»_

Adrien's heart ache... Marinette sighed.

_«A lost kitten isn't a filthy cat, Alya, it's just a little being in need... He was lost, and panicked, and I'm just happy he didn't hurt himself. We'll be able to have plenty of pajama parties on my balcony once you're back from Martinique...»_

Alya grumbled...

_«I didn't want to stay away for so long this year, but Mom didn't want to leave me alone in Paris... Not even a little week...»_

Marinette giggled...

_«Yeah, like Nino was going to let you spend a single day alone... Or a night...»_

Both girls started to laugh...

«Adrien, we need you back...»

Nathalie was at the entrance of the tent...

Sighing, the young man got back to work...

 

* * *

 

Marinette sighed... It was over at last... Her balcony was clean... She dumped the last garbage bag in her room, then got down the remaining pieces of the wall treillis, the windbreaker and her bags in the trash containers at the back of the bakery. Once the 5 trips up and down were over, she cleaned her room, changed her bedsheets and took a long, overdue shower...

She was exhausted... Despite her pajama party with Alya last night, she got up at 4 am to help her father with a big order at the bakery. After her shift, she had woken Alya up, and the besties spend the day together before Alya had to headed to the airport with her family...

It was still early, but after this looong and busy day, Marinette needed some rest.

She served a beautiful plate of biscuit and cookies and a little cup of milk to her kwami, then she jumped in her bed, and quickly fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir landed on his Princess' balcony, with his arms full and a backpack. He dropped the brand new wall treillis and a folded screen against the wall, he then looked around him.

Marinette had cleaned up after Alya's departure, the balcony was immaculate. A little too much... Something was off, the 'Princess' style was missing, the little something that made a place a home...

_Thanks to you, idiot..._

He shook his head and went to the skylight. He was about to knock when he noticed a human form lying down on the bed. He froze and listened carefuly.

She was evenly breathing, peacefully asleep... Chat Noir smiled. She must have had a rough day.

«Good Night, Princess...»

Turning back toward the stuff he brought, he started to set up his Princess' new balcony furnitures.

 

* * *

 

Marinette stretched slowly... The sun was beaming inside her room trough her skylight. She sighed and took her phone. 6am... It was too early to get up...

She turned over in her bed, but then she heard a weird sound coming from above her...

_Strange..._

Sometimes, Tikki was going out early, in order to bath in the morning sun, laid on a leaf... But never was she noisy...

Marinette popped her head to look inside the dollhouse. The kwami was still there, sleeping under her little blankets...

Warily, Marinette opened her skylight, and started to search for a threat on her balcony...

«Morning Princess...»

Marinette released a sighed of relief...

«Chat, you scared me!»

He helped her up on her balcony.

«Sorry, I didn't mean to... I just wanted to put the final touch to my little handwork there.»

Marinette didn't answer... She was speechless again...

A very beautiful pink painted treilli was hanging on her wall. Fairylights were beautifully set up on the treilli, along with LED filaments, figuring fireflies. Here and there, little ceramic pots, painted in white with cherry blossom flowers, hosted her saved plants, and some new ones... A new screen, white frame with pink fabric, was protecting her chaise lounge from the morning sun. A lot of blankets, cushions and pouffes, all of different shades of pink, make the place look very cosy... A single black and green pouffe was laid near her chaise lounge, like a tentative of territory marking... Chat Noir was currently putting a beautiful miniature rosebush on her cable reel, staring at her out the corner of his eye.

She beamed at him.

«Take a sit, I'm fetching the breakfast...»

Chat Noir smiled broadly.

«Your wish is my command, Princess...»

 

* * *

 

Marinette climbed back in her room with a tray. She disposed it on her desk in order to put on a summer dress. She settled a plate and a little cup on her desk, so Tikki can get her breakfast too, and then headed up on her balcony.

Chat Noir took the tray from her hands, setting it on the cable reel while she hopped out of her bedroom.

They settled in a confortable silence, Chat Noir on his black and green pouffe, Marinette on her chaise lounge. She handed him a mug of coffee and a croissant, then took her own cup and looked all around her. She was overwhelmed.

«Chat Noir, this cost a lot, you shouldn't have, you know... I found my old treilli and screen at a garage sale, I could have found other ones...»

«Well, maybe I went to a garage sell, you don't know...»

Marinette shot him a look saying 'I know what you did'...

«Chat, I'm taking inspiration for all I'm doing on this balcony on gardening stores websites, I know each and every piece you brought here, and I know their price range... How am I supposed to explain such luxury to my parents and my friends?»

Chat Noir smirked...

_Oooooh he planned this..._

«Well, you can tell the truth to your parents... They know about our friendship, and I really don't mind being on their good side... As for your friends, let's pretend your secret admirer set it up for you...»

Marinette choked on her coffee...

«If I said I have a secret admirer, I'll never hear the end of it... Alya's gonna be on your tail you know... She's going to investigate...»

Chat Noir winked.

«She can investigate, let her do...»

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir wasn't worried... Alya could investigate all she want, she'll never find him... Adrien drowned the orders for Marinette's balcony with a bunch of stuff he ordered for a house he inherited from his mother. With his father's blessing, he was renovating and redecorating it as a vacation place. All he brought for his Princess had been ordered in a shop that was not even in Paris and delivered at said house...

Marinette was strocking one of the rosebush's leaf. He could say she liked what he'd done.

«You know, you didn't have to do that...»

«Hey, I messed this up, remember? You cleaned everything all on your own, I wasn't going to let you do all the work... And what's more... I wanted to mark my territory there...»

He patted his black and green pouffe and flashed her is ' _ **Gabriel UnderWear**_ ' smirk...

Marinette took a pink cushion and tried to knock him off with it.

He burst out laughing...

«Why, Chat?»

He frowned at her serious tone...

«Why? What?»

«You spent a lot of money, AND a lot of time tonight setting things up here, you could have just delivered it all and leave it to me... You even brought cushions and pouffes, and blankets, and there weren't any to begin with... Not that it wasn't a work in progress... So, I just wonder, why? I can tell that this is important to you, but I can't understand why...»

Chat Noir nodded, and took a little time to think about how to say it right...

«I... I don't have a happy family life... My house is not the warm home you love to go back after a rough day at school or at work... When I come here to hang out with you, well, your balcony and your bedroom are what a home is supposed to be in my mind... And, hu, I was so upset when I destroyed it all. You were so sad... That sadness in your eyes, it was like, this home lost its soul... And it affected me a lot,...»

Marinette stared at him, stunned...

«I'm sorry if this upsets you, I mean, hu, I made it awkward,... If you want me to stop dropping by, I'll understand... I'm sorry...»

«No, no, don't, Chat, I'm not upset... I'm conflicted, it is at the same time the cutest and the sadest thing I've ever heard...»

Chat Noir weakly smiled and stared at his mug...

«I must hurry, I need to leave soon, I have a busy schedule at work today... Thanks for the delicious breakfast, Princess.»

He stood up, kissed her forehead and headed towards the railing.

«Chat Noir, you can come back anytime you want, or you need, you know that right?»

He winked.

«Of course I know, Princess, and I will...»


End file.
